Fantasystuck
by Cactuslotus
Summary: In the kingdoms of Skaia, Prospet and Derse trouble is brewing... Jade and Vriska's adventures as they attend a school where they train to be heroes with several others. Will they make it through the havoc that is trying to rise around them? (Warning: dark material in later chapters)
1. Prolog

The three tribes of the land stood. They were the people of Prospit, the people of Derse, and the people of Skaia. There were many races; the humans, half-breeds, elves, demons, and a few rare others.  
What are these races I've said? Humans are very common, and some possess the ability to use magic. Half-breeds look like humans mixed with an animal and vary widely from bird to dog to fish mixes including all the animals in between. Elves are also like humans, but with pointed ears, sharp teeth and glowing eyes. Demons are like a mix of the three; gerbil-like tails, red eyes with a slight glow, rodent like feet, pointed ears, sharp teeth, and horns. Demons usually live lonely lives because of their habits to cause mischief and are almost always chased out by the people of Prospit, Derse, and Skaia. Elves, humans, and half-breeds, however get along well and live together without much problem.  
The tribes of Prospit, Derse, and Skaia grew into strong kingdoms. Each kingdom is lead by a king and a queen; both rulers are protected and assisted by a page. The queen also gets advice from a seer. The seers of the castles are important-not only do they predict the future and help advise accordingly, but they use special powers they possess to protect the city in times of crisis.  
The kingdom of Prospit is a bright place. It's cities glow with the golden color of the sun, it's fields sunny meadows with rivers and lakes that glisten. The people are mostly half-breeds and humans since all the seemingly constant light is harsh on the elves eyes, though there are a few who live there.  
Derse is a close opposite of Prospit. The cities have a dim dark purple glow, the land has constant overcast thanks to large clouds, its dark forests almost haunting, rivers and marsh covering the flatlands. The people are mostly elves and half-breeds since the climate is difficult at times, although some adventurous humans live here.  
Skaia is a mix of the other two kingdoms. It has patches of bright sunny meadow and dark gloomy forest, it's cites are a strange yet cause awe. The people are mostly humans and elves since their populations contain the most magic users, but some half-breeds have magic skill and live here to master their ability.  
The kingdoms fought amongst themselves until the attack of the Condense. The Condense is only remembered as the worst monster the world had seen. She was so powerful that the kingdoms had to unite to defeat her. After she was defeated, a seer fore told that one day that a threat would rise again, a threat where the bright Prospit would cover in darkness, the dim Derse would be bathed in light, and the magical Skaia would remember its dark past. The kingdoms stayed allies, forming an academy for the young citizens to learn the ways of the hero in case such a threat surfaced.

Almost two centuries have passed since then. The hero academy gets the a wide array of students from the three kingdoms. As a chance of luck, the two princes and one of the princesses are enrolled in this academy; the other princess has taken the job of a seer of the neighboring kingdom of Prospit after showing her vast skill. All seems well, but trouble is brewing...


	2. Chapter 1

"The three kingdoms came together to fight the Condense… Blah blah blah, useless garbage, useless garbage, blah blah!" Vriska closed the tome each student was given. "When would we ever need to know this? Why not teach us something useful, like fighting skills?"  
Jade, Vriska's team partner, looked up from her book. "It's not useless, it's important." Jade stated. She grabbed her things for class.  
"Well I say it's useless. Did you finish that essay for professor Dualscar's class."  
"Yes, but I already turned it in."  
"Your so useless!" Vriska said in frustration," This is the fifth essay I've missed."  
"Maybe you should stop goofing off."  
"You know what? We're going to get some actual experience we can't get in class." Vriska grabbed Jade's wrist and dragged her along as she ran down the hallway.  
"Where are we going?" Jade asked.  
"To the forest. You have your staff?"  
"I managed to grab it as you pulled me out the door!"  
"Good, because we're spending the day learning something we can actually use."  
"What about Dualscar's class?"  
"We're ditching."  
"Vriska! I haven't gotten detention yet and I don't plan to!" They arrived at the forest. It was dark and ominous. "I'll have to go with you, you know as your teammate, to protect you."  
"Then lets go!" Vriska dashed into the forest, Jade not to far behind. There was rustling in one of the bushes. They nodded to each other, then got ready to attack. Out fell Karkat.  
"Why did you ditch class?" Jade asked.  
"I didn't." Karkat stood up and dusted himself off," The teachers are gone, even Dualscar. Good thing since I didn't finish the essay."  
"How many people didn't do the essay?" Jade asked.  
"Jade, I'm pretty sure you're the only one who wrote it." Vriska smirked. She turned back to Karkat."So where's Joh-"  
In a streak of blue, John crashed into Karkat, knocking them both over. John got up, wings outstretched. "You guys are out here too! Anyway, something's going on at the academy, but I can't really see what." John said excitedly, helping Karkat up.  
"Was it another explosion?" Jade asked.  
"Not this time. But we need to get back!"  
Jade thought for a moment. "I'm pretty sure I can get the portal to work this time!" She pulled the smaller bag from her side and started unfolding it into a large mat.  
The Vriska and Karkat groaned. "We aren't going to end up farther away this time, right?" Vriska asked.  
Jade finished setting up the mat. "I'm positive. I know what went wrong last time." Everyone stepped on the mat. "One… two… three!" The symbols on the mat light up until, flash! They were now at the academy courtyard. Everyone was running around in panic. "What's going on?"  
"I bet Horuss blew up his dorm again." Karkat muttered.  
"For once neither me or Damara blew anything up!" Horuss spoke up, stopping to talk to them.  
"So what's happening Horuss?" Jade asked as she started folding the mat back into a bag.  
"Some of the students went into weird freak outs. I know for sure Mituna is twitchy."  
"Kurloz freaking out." Damara said before she ran off.  
"Who's Kurloz?" Vriska asked, slightly confused. The group looked over as Feferi ran past.  
"Who are you helping?" Jade called out.  
"Sollux!" Feferi yelled back.  
Jade ran after her, Vriska not far behind. When the three reached Sollux's room, they found him holding his head in his hands with a tight grip. He was shaking violently as he mumbled something continuously under his breath. "What's going on?" Jade mumbled.

Meanwhile…  
Prospit  
Jane walked along the corridor leading to Rose's room. Ever since it was discovered that the young princess was a skilled prophet, she had worked for the queen of Prospit. Jane heard the sound of shattering glass, speeding up and opening the door. Rose was surrounded by shattered glass from the crystal ball she had dropped. She was shaking, a look of terror on her face. "Rose? Rose what's wrong?" Jane rushed over as the seer fell to her knees.  
Derse  
Roxy hopped down the steps to see the castle's seer. It was always interesting since Terezi was creative in how she told and did things, but it was the price to pay for guidance from the best prophet she knew. She perked her ears. As she opened the door to the seer's room blood ran past her on the floor. The goats the blind seer had for company were torn apart. "Blood! Blood! Blood everywhere!" Terezi shouted repeatedly, smearing red everywhere. The map of the lands, which had been designed on the floor, was almost completely unseeable.  
Skaia  
Meenah mumbled under her breath. If Kankri's talking didn't help his abilities as a prophet, she would have forced him to only say the basics. It was something to put up with. Strange, she couldn't hear him talking. She ran to the room, busting open the door. Kankri sat in the middle of his room, wide eyed and frozen in place. Broken pens littered the floor, ink smudged into unreadable words. "Hey, now's not the time for the silent act!" Meenah grabbed his shoulders and started shaking him,"Why aren't you talking!" She let go, letting the scared demon drop to the floor. "This can't be good."

Jane stood infront of the mirror, tracing letters on its surface. The faces of the other two queens appeared.  
"Are the seers at your castles acting strange, too? Rose is scared half to death!" Jane started.  
"Janey, I know. Terezi killed her goats an smeared blod everwhere!" Roxy said in suprise.  
"Did she even like the goats?" Meenah questioned.  
"Yeah! She gave um each a name. They were like her family!" Roxy replied," What about Kankri?"  
"He won't talk. At all." Meenah stated. The queens all fell silent.  
"This can't be good."  
"I second that." Meenah looked from Jane to Roxy, who seemed busy pouring herself several more drinks. "What are you doing?"  
"A drink for every new record. Rose freaked out," she poured a glass,"Kankri stopped talking," she poured another glass,"Terezi killed her goats," she poured a third glass,"and for once we all agreed on something!" She poured the final glass.  
"If I could smack you through this mirror I would." Meenah glared at Roxy as she gulped down the drinks.


	3. Chapter 2

Jade and Vriska were walking back down the corridor. "Thank goodness Sollux is okay." Jade mumbled. As they continued on, they over heard Karkat talking to John.  
"…that Kankri had freaked out and won't talk. Considering what's going on at the school and the fact that something's upsetting the Seers of the castles can't be good."  
Jade listened, but then a thought dawned on her. "Rose!" She pulled out a mirror from her bag, tracing a few letters on its surface. Lil' Seb's face appeared. "Is Rose okay?"  
Lil' Seb shook his head no. "Ask later okay?" With that the mirror's surface returned to normal.  
The corridors were much calmer now since most of the students had gone back to their dorms. Jade looked up and noticed someone she hadn't seen before. He seemed like walking death, walking on with a blank face. "Hello!" Meulin shouted behind them. Vriska turned to her," Do you know who that is?" She pointed towards the stranger. Meulin looked over, then smiled.  
"Oh, that's Kurloz!" She smiled. Jade and Vriska looked back and forth from Kurloz to Meulin. "He's my teammate. He usually tries to save his energy, so that might be why you haven't seen him around before!" She waved at him. He noticed, quickly came over. He towered over them, staring down to see everyone. "Are you feeling better?" Meulin asked. Kurloz nodded. "Let's go on a mission!" Meulin said excitedly, already headed over to the missions assignment office. Kurloz gave a quick wave goodbye, then followed Meulin.  
"That was… strange." Vriska said. They stood there in silence. A large explosion got their attention and they quickly headed over to investigate.  
Porrim and Horuss stumbled out of the dorm. "It won't blow up this time my a-" Porrim coughed, then noticed Jade and Vriska. "Hello. Can you guys help us out here?"  
"You need to get the flammable things out, right?" Jade asked.  
"Yes," Horuss coughed a bit," before it gets any worse."  
Jade crinkled up her nose at the smell, but headed inside the building. The smell of smoke and gunpowder was stronger inside, chokingly stronger. She grabbed any explosives she could and quickly shoved then into her bag. As she looked around, she couldn't see anything else that could possibly explode. She stumbled out coughing. "Here," she emptied a pile of explosives at their feet.  
Horuss smiled a bit," Thanks."  
Jade and Vriska started going away from the burning dorm, trying to get some distance in a case there was an explosive left inside. They were near completely across the school when they saw an explosion in front of them. Although it wasn't as destructive as the explosion in Horuss and Porrim's dorm, it still blasted out a few windows. The door flung open and Rufioh stumbled out followed by some black smoke. He fell to his knees coughing.  
Jade and Vriska hurried over. "Are you alright?" Jade asked trying to help him up with help from Vriska.  
"That's the third time you guys have blown up your dorm this…" Vriska fell silent for a moment, noticing a large pair of butterfly wings on Rufioh's back as the smoke around him cleared. "…week."  
Rufioh blinked a few times, then noticed their gazes and looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened. "Hey doll!" He said loudly," Can you explain something?"  
Damara walked out of the dorm. Her gaze immediately fell on the wings. She smirked and said something in a weird tongue.  
Rufioh's eyes widened. "What?!" He shook his head," Why do I have wings?"  
Damara laughed and spoke the odd language. She smirked. "I mess up. He be okay." As she said this she slipped Rufioh's arm over her shoulder, supporting his weight. "He just be dizzy, okay?" She explained.  
"Is this going to be like when you turned my hair partially orange? Because it's still like that." Rufioh asked. Damara laughed as they walked off to find a healer.  
"We should probably head back to our dorm."  
"Way ahead of you dog girl."  
As they headed back Vriska accidentally ran into someone. She looked up to notice Dualscar's glare. "So, did you finish your essay, Serket?" He questioned.


	4. Chapter 3

Vriska gave Dualscar a look of annoyance. "No, I didn't finish my essay. I practiced something useful!"  
Dualscar sighed. He looked over at Jade. "I'm sorry your partnered with someone weaker than you. It was meant to balance your talents."  
"Hey! I'm stronger than Jade!" Vriska huffed," By the way she snuck out to the forest today." Jade gave Vriska a look of shock.  
"You WHAT?!" Dualscar yelled. He grabbed them both by the back of their shirts and dragged them to the classroom. "Both of you have detention now. I'm disappointed in you two."  
"You guys got detention?" John said from behind Dualscar.  
"They left school grounds."  
"Me and Karkat did too." John said as Karkat tried covering his mouth.  
Dualscar was furious. " I excepted this from Karkat, but you John?"  
"What, because I'm a demon?" Karkat shouted.  
"My point exactly. All of you have detention," Dualscar pushed them into class," Think about what you've done." With that the door is shut behind them.  
They turned around. In the room was Dave, Aradia, Nepeta, Equius, Gamzee, Tavros, Meulin, Kurloz, Porrim, Horuss, Mituna, Latula, Sollux, Eridan, Kanaya, Feferi, and Davesprite.  
"Davesprite, what are you doing here?" Jade asked.  
He looks over."There's always people to talk to here."  
Jade gives a questioning glance."What do you mean?"  
"Their is always 4 people; Kurloz and Meulin are in charge, Porrim and Horuss are here for blowing up their dorm. Every day. Doesn't matter if its on accident. I'm here of my own free will."  
The door opened. Damara and Rufioh stumbled in. "You can not leave unless its an emergency or you have permission from the adviser. Detention officially starts now." Dualscar stated as he closed the door. It clicked locked.  
After a few moments Meulin started talking. "You guys should work on your homework." She suggested.  
"Hey Rufioh," Gamzee said," Why are you all up an wearing a bed sheet?"  
Everyone in the room took notice of the bed sheet Rufioh was wearing like he was carrying something. "It's not important." Rufioh quickly replied. The room fell silent again.  
"It's been two hours!" Eridan complained. "Who much longer is it?"  
"There's t-" Meulin paused, ears twitching. Nepeta and Jade picked up on the sound too. "Is that..." Meulin focused again.  
Right as the sound became clear, their was scratching at the door. The smell of smoke appeared as the scratching grew louder. The door was forced from its hinges, falling to the ground. Several pairs of glowing red eyes stared into the room.  
Everyone had their weapons drawn in an instant. The intruders charged in. They were shadow demons. The room erupted into fighting, althoug it seemed the demons had a focus.  
"Get away!" Jade yelled at the intruders, who started swarming her. They grabbed at her staff. "No!" She swung her staff forward. Much to her surprise, a green energy flung a few demons back into the wall with huge force. What was that? She thought. She tried it again, focusing on her target. This time it dazed the demon. She spun her staff around, hitting the demon squarely in the chest, killing it. The others came over, helping her finish them off.  
"You finally learned something useful!" Vriska smirked.  
Jade stared at her staff in disbelief. "Yeah... but I've never been able to do that before. At least not to that strength." She looked at the frog totem at the head of the staff. It's crystal eyes glowed a vivid green. What's going on?  
Dualscar came running in. "What hap-" his eyes then fell on Jade. "They tried to take the staff didn't they?"  
Jade nodded. But why would anyone want her staff?

Water dripped from the caverns ceiling to the damp floor. Calliope made her way to the cavern's center. As she approached she noticed her brother waiting just before the entrance to the center. Without a moments hesitation, they both walked in and down the rock pier. They stared into the crystal heart of the catacombs. They spoke in unison.  
"We are at your service, Condense."


	5. Chapter 4

"How did you know they were trying to take the staff?" Jade questioned.  
"Because the staff," Dualscar stated," is a special staff. Only certain people can use it since it uses a specific type of spacial magic."  
Jade looked back at her staff. "Really?"  
"Yes really, so don't ever leave that staff alone like I told you when I gave it to you."  
"I haven't left it alone ever."  
"Good." Dualscar looked around the trashed room. He sighed."Detention dismissed." All the students ran out of the room in excitement.  
"We get out early!"  
"That was early?" Eridan questioned. The students joked around, walking down the corridor. Somewhere during the joking around, the sheet covering Rufioh's wings fell off.  
"Uh... Rufioh? Why do you have wings?" Tavros asked, getting the others attention. Everyone stared with mixed expressions, although Damara quickly burst into laughing. Rufioh just stood there.  
"Damara did something...again." Rufioh said. Damara said something, then stifled a laugh. Everyone fell silent. Rufioh gave Damara a side glance before heading off to their dorm.  
Horuss gave Damara a concerned look. "Did you have to saw that?" Damara said something, smiled, then started after Rufioh. There was another moment of silence. "Oh my..." Horuss said quietly.  
"You can understand her?" Dave questioned.  
"Of course. I picked up the language." Horuss replied.  
"What did she say?" Everyone seemed to ask at once.  
"It's...better... not to say it. Her language wasn't... appropriate." Horuss seemed nervous. He turned and left before anyone could ask more questions. Porrim followed him, trying to get the answer. After that everyone went to their dorms and fell asleep.

The next day, Jade was trying to hurry Vriska out the door. "We're going to be late!" Jade pulled Vriska into the hallway.  
"No we're not." Vriska hurried up," We just have to run to class." They both speed up the pace, reaching Dualscar's class just in time to see a note on the door. They read over the note:

Students  
Due to certain circumstances, classes are postponed until further notice.  
Understand that during this time students should focus on completing  
missions to help further their field and combat skills. Teachers are still  
available in case you need assistance or would like to learn a new skill.  
-Headmaster Signless

The two gave each other questioning glances. "We finally are doing something useful! Lets go Jade!" Vriska started off to the missions office.  
"But why now all of a sudden?" Jade mumbled. Something big was going and she wanted to find out. Her thoughts drifted.  
"Hello! You in there?" Vriska asked, pulling Jade back to reality.  
"Hm?" Jade perked her ears,"oh, um yeah I'm here."  
"Good. I got us a mission already."  
"What's the mission?" Jade stared at the note as Vriska opened it and started to read it aloud.  
"Your mission is to investigate the wares of a merchant named Umber. He is in a Derse town named Hephaestus. It has been reported that some of his wares are causing odd side affects." Vriska folded the note back up and put it in her pocket. "Let's go!"

Jade set up the mat and flash! They appeared an hour's walk from the town, which was close enough. They headed into town down the mist forest road. They kept an eye out as they headed into town; the forests of Derse were a dangerous place even when you stuck to the roads.


	6. Chapter 5

They entered the industrial town of Hephaestus. The streets were alive with activity as people rushed through their daily lives. The two stopped at a apple juice stand.  
"How much?"  
"10 copper."  
Vriska placed the coins and started drinking the juice.  
Jade looked at her a moment, then back to the merchant. "Have you heard of someone named Umber?"  
"My name is Umber."  
Vriska tossed the bottle on the ground. "Are you kidding me?!"  
Jade sighed. "We are here to make sure your wares aren't tainted. People have been complaining about side affects like changing eye color and dizziness." Umber tried to run off.  
Vriska grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Oh no you don't! What's wrong with your wares?!"  
"N-nothing!" Umber tried twisting out of her grip. After being questioned several more times, he finally admitted. "There is some dark magic, but that's it, I swear!"  
Vriska felt pain in her eye and covered it. "Lets get this guy taken care of."  
"Don't worry, we heard the whole thing." One law enforcer grabbed Umber, the other his wares.  
"Can I keep a bottle?" Jade asked.  
The two gave her a confused look. "Sure kid... here you go." They handed her a bottle and continued on their way.  
Jade looked over to Vriska. "Lets head back." The two walked twenty minutes out of town, then Jade set up the mat, taking them back to the school near the main entrance. She noticed Vriska holding a hand over her eye. "Are you alright?"  
"I think so." As Vriska uncovered her eye, it revealed seven pupils.  
"I think you should see someone about it."

"Why am I sitting on Damara's table again?" Vriska asked wide eyed.  
"I already told you the nurse was to busy and this had to be dealed with ASAP. Plus Damara knows dark magic better than the nurse, so she was a better option anyway." Jade said.  
Damara had ran several checks on the apple juice Jade got. "I know what is. No worries, I fix it!" Damara gave a smile, then started digging through a box that full of things that looked like torture devices.  
Rufioh and Jade quickly grabbed Vriska so she wouldn't run off. "This is crazy!" Vriska pulled back.  
"You know it's going to get really bad! We have to fix it as soon as we can!" Jade stated.  
"Yeah! So calm down!" Rufioh added.  
Damara turned around with some strange glowing red orb and stand, placing it in front of Vriska. "Sit still." She said. Vriska was forced to sit completely on the table, being held still by Rufioh and Jade's effort. Damara traced some lines and symbols around Vriska on the table along with a circle infront of her, returned to behind the orb, then started saying something. The orb glowed, the room grew darker as the red glow became the light source. The light intensified, then the room went pitch black. The room then returned to normal. "See? Not bad. You better now, see?" Damara smiled. The other circle Damara had draw was full of black slime. "I get rid of bad. You be fine."  
"That was in the juice? But it looked clear." Vriska gave a confused look.  
"Look good not always mean good. Okay?"  
Rufioh helped Vriska down. "Why on the table and not the floor?"  
Damara laughed. "It ruin floor. Table easier fix." She sighed. "But eye still look odd." Damara motioned to her eye. "Be careful, okay?"  
"Alright." Vriska stated. Jade and Vriska left to turn in their mission. "At least my eye looks cool." Vriska smiled.  
"Next time we don't just drink apple juice when looking for tainted wares." Jade said before turning in the mission. "What kind of mission do you think we will get next?" Jade wondered.  
"I just have one request."  
"What is it?"  
"Don't get anything that involves checking wares."


	7. Chapter 6

The next day, Jade and Vriska headed down to the missions office. Jade opened the note. "Find Meulin and Kurloz. They were last sent to investigate strange happenings in the area circled on the map. The path they probably took is colored in red." Jade opened up the map, looking over it as she and Vriska head out. "There's a lot of farmland in along the way with patches of foresty-meadow type area."  
"Maybe they spotted something on the way back?"  
"It had to be on the way back since there wasn't complaints about their mission not getting done." Jade looked around. The two walked down the path, checking the areas on the side of the path. After a few hours, they stumbled upon some paw tracks that were next to footprints. Jade looked over at Vriska. "Think this is them?"  
"Definitely." They both followed the tracks. They stumbled onto a meadow full of strange plants with purple-blueish flowers.  
Jade looked closely at the plants. "Nepeta catmint. Meulin probably got distracted." Jade looks around. "I think I see someone in the middle of the catmint field over there." Jade squinted, trying to see who it was.  
"Well, lets check!" Vriska and Jade made their way to the figure. As they approached, they noticed that it was Kurloz and someone else. But it wasn't Meulin. They slowed their approach, trying to find out what was going on.  
"Listen up strange male," the other figure stated loudly," I'm just trying to recruit you. You and her are strong enough that I'm offering this! So will you join or not?!" The figure seemed impatient. "Why won't you answer!? You're in luck that I'm giving you this offer!" Vriska and Jade started forward, getting the figure's attention. Before they could get a close look, the figure took off. They looked at Kurloz and noticed Meulin next to him surrounded by catmint, purring softly.  
"You guys need to head back." Vriska said, then noticed Meulin. "You need help with her?" Kurloz shook his head, picking up Meulin in his arms and heading to the road. "So, what happened?" Vriska asked. Kurloz remained silent. "Can you talk?" Vriska asked. Kurloz shook his head. They walked all the way back up the road in silence, except for gentle purrs Meulin did.  
Meulin slowly awoke. "What?" Meulin mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "When'd you guys get here?" She gave Vriska and Jade a confused glance.  
"We came to find you guys and make sure you two were okay." Vriska stated. They continued in silence.  
"So Kurloz, what happened? My memory's fuzzy." Meulin asked Kurloz. He started doing hand gestures. "Oh, the explains a lot actually." Kurloz did a slight smile, then a few more gestures. "Yeah, I'm fine. You can put me down." Kurloz gently put Meulin down. She stood up and started walking with them.  
"So how did you guys end up in a nepeta patch?" Jade asked.  
"We were chasing down one last monster from the mission we were on. I didn't realize we were in catnip until after I killed it." They laughed before continuing to walk on the road.  
Soon, they all reached the academy at night fall. As they went to turn in their missions, they noticed the missions lady upset over something. "What is it Miss Dolorosa?" Jade asked.  
"Three teams have gone out to investigate a string of disappearances in a Skaian forest, but only one has come back." She scavenged through her papers, anxious at trying to find an answer.  
"Who went on the mission?"  
"John, Karkat, Gamzee, Tavros, Aradia, and Dave. Dave and Aradia came back, but they couldn't find anything."  
Vriska slammed her hand on the desk before her. "Give us the mission"


	8. Chapter 7

You just came back from a mission. Aren't you tired?" Dolorosa asked.  
"Can we have the mission or not?" Vriska asked.  
"Alright, you two can have the mission." She handed them the note. "Just be careful. We don't need another missing team."  
The two left the office. "So what's the details?" Jade asked.  
"Apparently several of the villagers in the area went missing. But..." Vriska flipped through the notes a few times. "There is no trace to where. The footsteps just stop at a spot every single case. Even the team cases." She flipped through till she found a map, handing it to Jade who looked over it, set up the mat, and flash! They were at the edge of the forest.  
"This place is really dark for a Skaian forest." Jade mumbled.  
"Yeah. Well, lets go! It's already night, so that's probably the reason." Vriska started walking into the forest.  
Jade followed her. "Maybe, but this area is native to blue-glow mushrooms. Only salamanders eat those, so they should be at least a few."  
"Why would those matter? Keep your eyes peeled for anyone whose out here. We need to find the missing people!" Vriska was looking around constantly, moving quickly from patch to patch.  
"Vriska, wait up!" Jade hurried to keep up. Her staff keeped getting caught on things, so she stowed it in her bag. "Vriska!" She looked around, running in the direction she had seen Vriska go. She looked around, unable to find her. "Vriska! Where are you?" She shouted, stopping to catch her breath. She started walking again. Her foot hit something, and a net snapped up around her, pulling her up. "What?!" She tried to reach her bag, but her hand and wrist were tangled in the netting. She tugged at it only to realize one of her feet were tangled to. "Huh?" She tugged again, only getting more tangled. "Help!" She shouted, still trying to get loose.  
"You're really stuck in there."  
Jade turned her head, trying to see who was there.  
"Calm down before you make it harder to get you."  
Jade stopped tugging and moving around. "Who are you?" She asked.  
"The guy who's going to get you down if you listen."  
Jade flicked an ear in his direction. "Really?"  
"Yes really." Jade heard him walk over to the tree and climb it. She looked over to see him within arms reach of the net. "Oh, you are really stuck. It's going to take a while to undo this." The figure looked over the net again. "I guess the net is worn out anyway."  
"Huh? Is this your net?"  
"Why, yes actually. What's your name, by the way?" The figure started going through his bag.  
"It's Jade. What's yours?"  
"I'm Shale." The figure pulled out a bottle.  
"W-what's that for?" Jade questioned nervously.  
The figure popped the top off. "I can't have you getting even more tangled." He held her head still, forcing the bottle's the contents down her throat.  
Jade pulled, trying to fight back. Her vision blurred until she finally blacked out.

"Jade? Jade?! Can you hear me?!" John called out.  
"Hm?" Jade's vision was still blurry and she felt weak. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "John?" She snapped awake. She looked over in the direction of the voice. "John?! You're okay!"  
John shifted in the wooden bird cage that dangled from the cave roof. "Not really. I wish I could have warned Karkat so he wouldn't be here."  
"Karkat's here?" Jade asked.  
"Over here nookwhiff!" Karkat shouted. Jade looked over to see him in a metal cage away from the other cages. She noticed Gamzee and Tavros, along with a few others she assumed were the missing villagers, all in various cages. "What's going on?" She looked around, now realizing she was in a cage her self.  
"Don't worry about it." Shale entered the room, holding her bag. "Also, why were you carrying an empty bag?" He seemed confused, holding the bag open in demonstration. For a moment Jade panicked, but then remembered that's how it 's full when it needs to be.  
Shale laughed tossing the bag aside. "It's silly to carry an empty bag." He left.  
'What do I do?' She thought. Her bag was out of reach, so she couldn't use anything in it. It would take to long to chew her way out. What would she do?  
'Focus' a voice said. Jade looked around, unable to find its source. 'This voice again?' She thought. 'If you want to escape, focus on where you want to be. Try right outside the cage.' Jade sat there a moment, then tried what the voice said. 'Focus. Reach out to it.' Jade focused harder.  
"Um... Jade?" Tavros asked.  
'Focus. Pull your self there.' Jade concentrated, focusing on the spot. She almost felt like she was standing there. Suddenly in a flash of green light, she stood outside her cage, panting heavily.  
"Jade?!" John flapped his wings in suprise, pushing himself back, rocking the cage. Everyone started shouting, reacting with shock, some striking out at the cages in suprise. Jade grabbed her bag.  
Shale rushed in. "How di-?! What are you!?"  
Jade pulled her staff out of her bag, then posed to attack.  
"That bag was empty!" Shale looked at the staff in disbelief. Jade focused on him, sending him flying back in a spark of green energy. He hit the wall, sliding down to the ground unconscious. Jade went over to him, grabbing the keys. She hopped on her cage, then reached out and unlocked John's. He hopped down, stretching his wings. Jade's vision blurred.  
"Jade?" John asked. A door was slammed open in the other room. "Jade?!" John reached out as Jade fainted. The last thing she saw was Vriska as she opened the door to the room, concern on her face.

Jade started waking up. She saw faces around her. "Jade?" "She's waking up!" "She's awake!" Jade sat up, sore and tired. "What's going on?" She asked, noticing she was back in her dorm.  
Vriska sighed in relief. "I came to help you, but then you passed out."  
"Yeah! How did you do that?" John asked.  
Jade gave him a confused look. "Pass out?"  
"No. Teleport." Karkat asked. "How did you do it?"  
"Yeah! Usually you have to use a mat to teleport," Vriska stated, "This time you just, moved.."  
"I-" Jade started, but was interrupted by the door opening. Dualscar came over, the students quickly stepping aside.  
"Jade how did you know how to teleport?" Dualscar asked in a serious tone.  
"I-I... A voice told me."  
"A voice? Who's voice?"  
"I don't know! A woman's voice."  
Dualscar seemed annoyed. "But who was it?!" He growled.  
"I-I really don't know!"  
Dualscar stepped back. "We will talk later." He left with a huff.


	9. Chapter 8

They stared at the doorway for a while after Dualscar left. "What's he so mad about?" Jade asked.  
Vriska shrugged. "Anyway, it's kind of late for a mission today... Lets to to the lake!"  
"Yeah!" John agreed. Karkat sighed, but he didn't complain.  
"I don't know... I'm still really tired."  
"You could just nap under the tree nearby."  
"Well, I guess."  
"Then lets go!" Vriska pulled Jade up from where she was before heading out. The four headed out to the lake not far from the academy, noticing a figure sitting on the dock.  
"Hey Sollux! You guys are out here too?" John asked.  
Sollux nodded. He was wrapped in his cloak so that only part of his face showed. "Why don't you ever swim?"  
"I don't want to." He replied, his words partly muffled by his cloak.  
"Can you even swim?" John asked.  
"I can thwim. I jutht don't want to." Sollux turned to face the lake. Jade was over by the near by tree napping while the others decided to stop bugging Sollux and swim. Eridan took notice of the others.  
"He's never swam once in the entire time I've known him." Eridan mentioned to them.  
"Really?"John asked.  
"Yes really. He just sits there, even on missions where there's lots of water. He just stays away from the water. Getting him to swim is impossible." Eridan seemed annoyed.  
"I bet I could get him in the water." Vriska smirked.  
"Not if I get him in first." Karkat grumbled. The four started talking about it, betting on who could get Sollux in the water first.  
Eridan swam over. "Hey Sol, you should hop in."  
"I've told you a hundred times, no." Sollux had his feet dangling over the edge of the pier. Eridan tried pulling him in, but only succeeded in pulling of his shoes and almost pulling of his socks. "What the hell?" Sollux pulled up his socks quickly, stood up, and took a step back.  
"Come on! Hop in!" John tried pushing him in. Sollux stepped out of the way, letting John fall in.  
"I'll hop in with you. Lets go!" Vriska grabbed his cloak sleeve and jumped in. He pulled out of his cloak slightly, but then Vriska lost her grip so he held on to it. One of his ears stuck out, which seemed more cat-like rather than the elf-like look it had when he was little.  
"Hop in." Karkat was trying to push Sollux in. The two started arguing.  
Meanwhile Vriska went over to Jade and shook her awake.  
"Wait!" Jade sat up. She seemed confused a moment then looked over at Vriska. "What is it?"  
"You should practice your teleporting." Vriska then motioned toward Sollux. "Can you teleport him to right above the lake?"  
Jade gave her a questioning glance. "I'll try it." She focused on Sollux for a moment, then flash! He appeared ten feet above the lake. At that moment, Mituna and Latula came over the hill.  
"Thollux!" Mituna shouted. He rushed down the hill and hopped into the water. He quickly pulled Sollux out. "Are you okay? Hello?!" Mituna started shaking Sollux. Sollux coughed a few times. "Your okay!" Mituna hugged him.  
"What's going on?" Jade had come over.  
"Oh, Sollux has some bad memory with water, so he panics when he falls in or is tossed in." Latula looked back over. "Poor guy."  
Everyone else fell silent. Dualscar came over the hill. "Jade, come here." Jade looked over. "I mean it." Jade started up the hill.  
"What for? I don't see why she has to go." Vriska stated.  
Dualscar went and grabbed both of them by the ears, pulling them back to the academy.

"So Jade," Dualscar started when they had reached his office," how long have you been able to teleport without your assisting mat?"  
"Only since yesterday." She replied. Vriska grumbled from her spot in the corner of the room.  
"You said a voice told you how correct?"  
Jade shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Yes."  
"How long have you been hearing this voice?"  
"Um... Since after you gave me detention a week ago."  
"Who's voice is it?"  
"I don't know who it is."  
Dualscar seemed annoyed by the statement. "Who is it?"  
"I really don't know."  
He smacked a hand down on the desk. "This is important. Who is it?"  
"I really don't know!"  
"Describe the voice."  
"It was a women's voice. It was calm and sort of... normalish?"  
"That's not much of a description."  
Jade huffed. "Have you tried describing a voice? It's hard."  
Dualscar seemed to accept the response. "Every time you hear the voice, come talk to me, alright?"  
"Okay."  
"You are dismissed." With that the two left.  
"You've really been hearing a voice?" Vriska asked.  
"Yeah, why?"  
"Wonder who it is. Maybe even the Condense."  
Jade spun around, horrified. "Don't say that!"  
Vriska smirked. "Don't tell me you believe that story. The Condense is coming after you!" She joked before laughing.  
Jade huffed in annoyance. "I'm serious! Stop."  
"Hey, I'm just joking." The two spent the rest of the day goofing off.


	10. Chapter 9

Vriska woke up and stretched a moment. "Alright Jade, lets go!" She looked around. "Jade?" She looked around the room, but couldn't find Jade; she did however find a note. "Vriska, I'll be right back. Jade." She tossed the note and headed out with her rushed essay. It was unbelievable that Dualscar had demanded it get done, but it's not like he would read it. As she approached his office, she heard someone else. Realizing it was Jade, she put her ear to the door trying to listen.  
"-and I walked down the stone pier. Then there was this lady in a white and pink gown. She just said 'Help me' before her words became to hard to understand. Everything faded and then I woke up."  
"That's quite strange. You've had this dream a few times, correct?"  
"Yeah... it's happening more often. Every time I fall asleep it's that dream."  
"It doesn't seem to be a threat, but the voice taught you something that's very advanced for your age. Be cautious about it though, since its motives are still unknown."  
"Okay." She got up and opened the door. Vriska fell as soon as the door opened, but got up and acted like nothing happened.  
"So... I finished the essay!" She smacked it down on Dualscar's desk.  
He looked thoroughly unimpressed. "You finally turned it in. And don't leave yet, I have a mission for you two."  
Jade and Vriska turned around, surprised.  
"There is someone causing trouble. Huge trouble. They will be wearing a necklace that looks like this." He held up a drawing of a pendent that had a symbol that looked like a large fuchsia h. "When you find them, quickly use these." He held out two pairs of cuffs. "Then bring them back to my office. Is that understood?"  
"Yes." Jade put the cuffs in her bag.  
"Why do we need two pairs of cuffs?" Vriska asked.  
"With you two, I never know. You might need two cuffs." Dualscar replied.  
"At least we haven't destroyed our dorm!" Vriska smirked. An explosion was seen out the window behind Dualscar.  
He groaned. "I'm glad you haven't destroyed your dorm. Yet. Excuse me, but I have to give Porrim and Horuss detention again."  
"Actually, that's Damara and Rufioh's dor-" Jade was interrupted by an explosion in the opposite direction.  
"Now Porrim and Horuss have detention along with Damara and Rufioh." Dualscar sighed. "Could they not destroy their dorm for ONE day?!"  
Jade and Vriska left, heading out on their mission. "Now that I think about it, we might be one of the few teams who hasn't destroyed their dorm yet."  
Vriska thought for a moment. "Yeah. Hey, remember yesterday when you teleported Sollux above the lake?"  
"Yes. Why didn't you guys check to make sure he could swim?!"  
"I said I was sorry! Anyway, for a moment it looked like had a tail."  
"Really?"  
"Yes really. Nepeta and Meulin claim he smells like a mix of an elf and a cat."  
"He does actually."  
"So two different smells?"  
"No, it definitely one smell, but it smells like a mix of a cat and a elf."  
Jade looked ahead on the road, then pulled Vriska with her as she ducted behind a bush.  
"What the hell?!"  
"Shhh! That girl has the necklace." They both peeked over the bush. A little girl in a tunic with messy blond hair was walking down the road, looking around. Hanging loosely from her neck was the pendent.  
"Lets get her!"  
"Wait, something isn't adding up." Jade looked back over. The little girl stopped when she noticed a dove at the side of the road. She picked it up.  
"Is that bird dead?" Vriska whispered. The girl looked around, then cupped the bird. There was a green spark or two, then the dove ruffled its wings and flew away.  
"... It was. But now it's not."  
"What?" Vriska leaned closer, trying to see better. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes."  
Vriska jumped out from behind the bush. "Im here to cuff you!" She had one of the cuffs. The girl just stared at her for a moment, then took off running. "Hey! Get back here!"  
"You just yelled that you would cuff her! Anyone would run if they heard that."  
"I can catch her." Vriska ran after the girl, Jade following her. The girl spun around and put her hands on the ground in Vriska's path. Green sparks flickered from her hands. Vriska was about to grab the girl, but then sunk into the ground like it was water. The ground quickly rehardened before the girl lifted her hands, leaving Vriska shoulder deep. "What the hell?!"  
"I'm so sorry, but I can't have you arresting me." The girl said.  
Jade looked from the girl to Vriska then back to the girl. "We are supposed to someone with a pendent like yours who is causing trouble. Unless you have an evil twin, I'm pretty sure it's you!" Vriska told the girl as she tried to wiggle free, but to no avail.  
"I do actually."  
"Oh, and whe-"Vriska started.  
A black haired boy, who looked very similar, walked out from the bushes not to far ahead on the path. "Who are you fat cows?" The boy yelled.  
"Who are you calling a fat cow?!" Vriska yelled.  
"Brother, that was very rude. You should apologize." The girl said.  
"I don't need to apologize for anything!" He shouted. Red sparks came up in a circle around him. The ground in the circle rippled, changing slightly. As soon as a broken sword appeared, the boy grabbed it and the circle disappeared. He charged at the girl. She dodged his attack, placing a hand on the ground. He lunged forward, but was slowed down as he sunk into the ground.  
"Oh, very clever! I can still get you for her!" The boy went to swing his arm, but Jade grabbed it, quickly cuffing him. As soon as the sword was out of his grip, it disappeared. "Hey!"  
"So, what's your name?" Jade asked the girl.  
"It's Calliope. You can just call me Callie."  
"Okay Callie. So, what's your name?" Jade asked the boy.  
"None of your buisness!" He growled.  
"His name is Caliborn."  
"You weren't supposed to tell her!"  
"Hey! I'm stuck here!" Vriska grumbled. Callie put a hand on the ground infront of Vriska while Jade pulled her out.  
"Good thing I had the other cuffs." Jade said, then looked over at Caliborn. "Callie, can you help us get your brother out of the ground?" Callie nodded, doing the same as she did for Vriska. "Thanks. We were supposed to bring in the one with the pendent, but there is to of you. I think it was only ment for Caliborn though."  
"Can I come along?" Callie asked.  
"Sure." Jade started setting up the mat.  
"What are you doing? You don't need a mat anymore. Why are you setting it up?" Vriska question.  
"I haven't tried teleporting more than one person before, and I don't want to mess up so-"  
"Try it without the mat. You won't mess up."  
Jade put the mat away. She paused a moment, then green sparks flickered around them till, flash! They appeared at the academy's entrance. "It..it worked!" Jade panted.  
"Are you okay?" Vriska asked.  
"I'm... Okay." Jade replied "It's exhausting... To teleport..." Jade's breathing calmed. "Lets finish the mission." They went to Dualscar's office and knocked on the door.  
"Come in." Dualscar replied. They walked in. Dualscar looked back and forth between the twins. "You found both?!" He stepped around his desk, standing infront of them.  
"You knew there was two? Is that why you gave us two sets of cuffs?" Vriska asked.  
"I thought you would lose one of the cuffs, or try to sell one or something! I never thought you would find both!" Dualscar exclaimed in disbelief. "Can I have the remaining cuffs back?" Jade handed the cuffs back. Dualscar put then on Callie.  
"Huh? But she's good. She even came willingly!" Jade huffed.  
"The cuffs tamp down their abilities. I don't need her accidently break something." He looked at the twins again. "I thought Cherubs were extinct. How are you two here?"  
"We thought your side's fighter was extinct too, but you don't hear me complaining!" Caliborn yelled.  
"Our parents died 12 years ago, so now we're the last two cherubs." Callie replied.  
"You to are quite the case." Dualscar mumbled. "I know for sure your the evil side," he motions to Caliborn," and your the good side." He motions to Callie.  
"What do you mean side?" Jade asked.  
"Cherubs are twins were one is good and one is bad. The dominant one takes control at maturity, or if one of the twins runs out of lives the other reaches maturity instantly." He grabs the chain of both cuffs in his hands, lifting both a few inches of the ground. Calliope dangled calmly, a slight confusion on her face. Caliborn, on the other hand, kicked and thrashed as he yelled threats. "Unfortunately, Caliborn seems to be the dominate one. Which one has more lives though?" He lifted their fingers with his pinkie, showing they both had a swirl on one of their hands. "3 lives left for this one," he then looked from Caliborn to Calliope," and 6 left for this one."  
"Can you put me down, please?" Calliope asked.  
"I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!" Caliborn thrashed, swinging back and forth. His foot suddenly became green and taloned, and as he came swinging back nailed a kick to his sisters throat. Everyone was stunned a moment. Dualscar set Calliope down, then hung Caliborn from a hatstand by the cuff chain.  
"Calliope?! Calliope!?" Jade and Vriska dropped down to their knees, trying to help Calliope. Her neck was severed almost completely through, killing her. Calliope started to glow, and as the light faded away, a strange green, reptilian was found in Calliopes place. The only hint it was Callie was the green hand and cheek swirls. The form then looked like Callie again.  
"What happened?" She seemed confused a moment.  
"You know what? Calliope can be with you guys." Dualscar unattached the chain from the cuffs. "I will interrogate her later along with Jade."  
"Again?" Jade groaned.  
"Yes again. Now hurry along." Dualscar snapped. The three left his office quickly.


	11. Chapter 10

It had been a week since the Cherub incident. Calliope made a great teammate and Caliborn was still stuck in Dualscar's office hanging by the chains of his cuffs. The different teams seemed to be chattering about one topic though.  
"This is going to be fun!" Jade smiled, jumping around the dorm.  
"So... what are you going to wear?" Vriska asked. Jade thought about it.  
"I don't think I have anything fancy for the dance." Jade searched through her clothes, but couldn't seem to find what she was looking for. "The one year I actually want to go and I can't find anything!" She looked over at Vriska,"And this year you aren't banned."  
"Oh, this sounds exciting!" Calliope smiled, "Can I come?"  
"Yup!" Jade replied, giving up on searching through her clothes. "Maybe it's not to late to ask Kanaya about a dress..." She mumbled as she headed out the door. Vriska and Calliope followed not to far behind.  
"Hi guys." John said, Karkat by his side grumbling. "Dualscar banned me this year!"  
"Why would he do that?" Vriska asked.  
"He found out who let Gamzee in last year." Karkat motioned to John. "Almost a year later. Took him long enough."  
"I didn't know he was permanently banned!" John replied," But I will find a way in. You're finally going!"  
"Nepeta wouldn't take no for an answer." Karkat grumbled as he headed on his way. John headed after him.  
The three headed to Kanaya's dorm. Feferi awnsered the door. "Hello! Did you guys need anything?"  
"I was wondering if I could ask Kanaya something. Is she around?"  
"She is, but she's really busy right now. She will be free tomorrow though."  
"Oh okay. Good bye."  
"Bye!" Feferi closed the door.  
"This might be a problem..." Jade mumbled. They started heading back to their dorm when they happened to run into Tavros and Gamzee.  
"Hi, umm," Tavros turned to Gamzee," I'm not so sure about this."  
"Just say it bro."  
"Would you want to... um... maybe... Go with me? To the dance?"  
"Fine. See you later." Vriska replied before continuing on her way. They noticed a box infront of their dorm. Vriska read a note on the package. "My mom sent me something."  
"What is it?" Jade asked. They headed in the dorm before Vriska opened it.  
"It's a dress." Vriska pulled out a long fancy dress, looking over it. Jade went back to looking all over the room for a dress. Vriska started looking through her own clothes. "I might have something for you to wear." The two looked all over. Some time during their search, Calliope left. Jade looked at the clock a while after that.  
"20 minutes left. This is ridiculous. Maybe I can borrow one from someo-" Jade opened the door and noticed another box. It had a note with it, ment for her. She brought it in, opening the note. "I can't read this." She looked over the note, but the writing was smudged. "Can you read it?"  
Vriska looked over the note. "No." She tossed the note. "What's in the box?" The two stared at the box. Jade opened it, looking at its contents.  
"What is this?" She lifted it up. "Oh no." Vriska smirked.  
"Oh yes." Vriska looked it over. The dress was Jade's size. It was a white and pink ball gown covered in ribbon, ruffles, and lace. "It looks like you don't have much of an option anyway." Vriska snickered as she looked at the clock.  
Jade looked at the dress. "This has so much fluff it could stand on its own. I'm surprised it fit in the box!" Jade looked over the note. "Who sent this?!"  
"It's not that bad," Vriska said, trying not to laugh,"but you don't have much of a choice. Are you going to wear it or not?"

"Jade, what the hell are you wearing?" Dave asked when he saw Jade.  
"I didn't have anything else." She mumbled. The dress made it hard to walk, which was annoying. One of the teachers was at the door to make sure certain students couldn't get in.  
The teacher eyed them a moment, then continued keeping watch. Several students were already there when Jade and Dave walked in. Jade noticed something about Aradia. "Are your arms... made of metal?" Jade asked, eyeing her arms.  
Aradia nodded. "Yes."  
"Oh... So, who are you here with?"  
Sollux came up, wearing a hat. "Hello guyth." He handed Aradia a drink. "When did you two arrive?"  
"Not long ago. How is it so far?" Jade asked.  
"Tho far it theemth Dualscar left early for the firtht time I've ever theen. Apparently thomething importantth going on. Callie wath here before motht people, keeping Davethprite company." Sollux tugged his hat back down.  
The four continued talking for a bit. Jade and Dave tried to dance, but it didn't end well seeing as Jade could barely move her legs. The skirt was so fluffy she couldn't sit down either; if she stopped standing she would still stay upright. The dress was that fluffy.  
"Hey grumpy gills!" Feferi walked over. "How are you doing?"  
Jade looked over. "I'm fine. And you?"  
"Great. I love your dress."  
"This thing is ridiculous! I'm not even standing anymore!" Jade then stood up, which caused almost no difference at all. "And now I'm standing."  
Feferi started laughing. "Are you serious? That's one crazy dress!"  
Jade's ears flicked down. She left, going back to her dorm. "The one time I wanted to go..." She mumbled as she made her way back. She stopped, noticing a box in front of her dorm. "Huh?" She brought the box in with her and read the note. "Dear Jade, I heard you finally decided to go to a dance, so I sent you something. I hope you like it. Your father, Jake." She opened the box slowly, looking inside. She held up the dress. "This... is amazing."

-  
"Has anyone seen Jade?" Dave asked. Vriska turned around.  
"What do you mean? She came her, so she has to be around her somewhere." The two looked around for a few minutes. "Did you find her?" Vriska asked.  
Dave shook his head. "I'm going to guess you didn't either."  
Calliope walked over. "Um... Guys?" The two looked over, noticing Jade walk in. She had a different dress: it had green edging, but the rest looked like a starry night sky.  
"Where did you get that?" Vriska asked.  
"When I went back to the dorm I noticed my dad sent me something."  
The music was slow. Dave held out a hand. " We didn't get to really dance yet. So, can I have this dance?" Jade placed her hand on his and the two started to dance.  
Vriska went over to Tavros and grabbed his hand. "Lets dance!"  
-meanwhile...  
John landed on the roof. He knew the entrance was right around... there! He slipped into the building, checking around the corner. No teachers in sight! John ducked behind a table where there were drinks for the students at the dance. He noticed another kid was there. "What are you doing here?" He asked.  
"Quiet down. Can't you see I'm busy?" The kid then looked back out at the students dancing.  
"Hey... Aren't you that one kid, um, Andy? No, no, Andrew! Yeah, your Andr-" Andrew put a hand over John's mouth.  
"Shhhh! I don't need anyone to know I'm here." Andrew whispered.  
At that moment, Gamzee snuck over. "What are you all whispering about?" He asked as he dumped something in the drinks.  
"What? Gamzee, what are you doing? How did you even get in here?!" John whispered.  
"I just climbed through the window. How'd you get in?" Gamzee motioned to a open window not two feet away. John held his head in his hand a moment.  
"The window was open the WHOLE TIME?!" John hissed.  
"Yeah bro. It's a miracle none of the teachers noticed!" Gamzee stated. John sighed, then closed the window. He wandered off, but then ran into Calliope.  
"Will you dance with me?" Callie asked looking up at John.  
"Oh, um, sure." The two started dancing. "Aren't you kind of young though? I'm pretty sure I'm older than you."  
"I'm 329 years old." Calliope simply replied.  
"Oh. Your definitely older."  
There was lots of dancing. This would have been a good night, except not long later problems arose.  
"Everyone listen up! The doors are being locked for the safety of everyone here. Keep the doors and windows closed!" Disciple yelled before stepping out. True to her word, the doors clicked shut, the sound of the door locking echoing. Their were a few other clicks from the windows and then silence. Confusion stirred amongst the students, but then they heard banging on the doors and windows. Confusion turned to panic.  
"Calm down! This is an academy for heros! We all know how to fight here!" Latula stated. "Who has weapons?"  
"Oh, I do!" Meulin lifted her skirt and pulled out her swords which she had strapped to her legs.  
Everyone stared for a moment, then started checking for weapons.  
"Claws, check!" Nepeta smiled.  
"I snuck my hammer in with me." John replied.  
"I have a club." Gamzee added.  
"I have my staff." Jade stated. She got several confused looks."It's in my bag." She lifted part off the upper skirt and pulled out her bag. She then pulled out her staff.  
"Remember that time you took my sword?" Vriska asked.  
"Yeah." Jade replied.  
"Is it in your bag?" Vriska said.  
Jade reached in her bag and pulled out three different swords. "That's it weapon-wise."  
"I have explosives." Horuss mentioned. Everyone eyed him a moment. "Don't worry. I only carry the stable ones with me."  
"Wait... If you have stable bombs, why mess around with unstable explosives all the time?" Eridan asked.  
"I want to make better explosives." Horuss replied. The banging sounds grew louder and everyone assumed a fighting position. The door rattled then the hing snapped out of place, letting the door swing open.


	12. Chapter 11

The area outside became a battlefield. The students were slowly gaining ground against the array of monsters. The clang of metal sounded along with the occasional explosion and spark. "Where are the teachers?" Vriska growled under her breath.

"Get back!" Rose shouted over her shoulder to the king and queen. Lil' Seb quickly lead them away. Monsters had surrounded the castle grounds, forcing their way onto the grounds. A quick look around revealed there were skyward threats as well, closing in. Rose knew there was only one option. Shadows pooled around her, further and further. She pulled out her wands, launching at the monsters overhead. Everywhere she went she left a dark trail behind her.

Terezi made her way to the castle front. She could smell the many strange creatures trying to make their way in. From what she could tell the guards weren't doing very well. A smirk on her face as she attacked the first monster with ease, claws forming on her hands and feet. Wings appeared next, then a tail as she started growing. Quickly she assumed her true form; a large white dragon with glistening red eyes. She set fire to the intruders, running along the castles edge. She took wing, attacking the flying intruders. Flames lingered, snapping up the fallen creatures.

"Hmm?" Kankri climbed carefully onto the point of the castles roof. He looked down at the surrounding area, realizing these intruders would breach the castles' outer gates any moment. He slipped off his boots, placing them so they wouldn't slip. He started speaking the native language of Skaia; it had been forgotten over time, replaced by a different spell casting language that was considered safer. A sword appeared in his hand as he sprinted down the roof, then leaped off onto one of the flying monsters, swiftly beheading it. He leaped at the next, then the next. After finishing the last of the ones in the air, he fell, sword at the ready. He sliced through the swarm around him, flames leaping and fading as he went.

The students were gaining ground, heading back to the main building. A realization dawned on Calliope. "Caliborn!" She bolted for Dualscar's office followed by Jade and Vriska. There were next to no monsters down this way. As the door to Dualscar's office swung open, they looked over to the hanging cuffs on the wall. Caliborn's arms were still there, dripping blood onto the floor. As for Caliborn, he was long gone, the blood trail stopping at the door. "I knew it." Calliope mumbled.  
The rest off the students finished fighting the remaining monsters. A few teachers came back. "I told you guys to stay inside!" Disciple looked around, then sighed. "Even though you guys disobeyed, you did help, so no detentions." The students let out a round of cheers before heading back to their dorms. It had been a long night.


	13. Chapter 12

The next morning, the trio got up. Most of the students had spent a couple hours searching around the school for Caliborn the night before, but to no avail. Caliborn had escaped without a trace; no scent trails or footprints could help the investigation. All the students were aloud to sleep in longer than usual.  
"So, we're teamed up with Eridan and Sollux?" Jade asked, trying to read the note over Vriska's shoulder.  
"Yeah. Basically it's some list for Handmaid." Vriska replied, looking at the note in disbelief. "It's like they think we can't get everything on the lousy supply list on our own!" Vriska huffed in annoyance, knocking on the door to Eridan and Sollux's dorm. The door was flung open.  
"Sol is gone!" Eridan yelled, hair a strewn. Quickly entering the room, Vriska and Jade looked around. It was only slightly untidy, but then they went to the side room. A cot surrounded with blankets lay sideways. Hair and blood was scattered through the torn up room, and much to they're suprise, Sollux's cloak was still there.  
"Did you hear anything last night?" Jade questioned.  
"Nothing at all! I should have heard something though!" Eridan looked around the room, confused. Just then Calliope seemed to be saying something in the hall, then Mituna and Latula came in.  
"What's going on?" Mituna yelled, barging into the small side room. "Bro?" Mituna mumbled, looking around the room in despair. He noticed the open window, hopping out through the space as if following a trail.  
Jade sniffed around, trying to catch a scent trail. She soon started off on what seemed to be the same path as Mituna. "Watch Calliope, alright?" Vriska said to Eridan before she and Latula also hopped through the window.  
Jade and Mituna led the way, eventually taking the group through the heavy forest of Derse, making the trail harder to follow. After a few hours they reached an abandon house. "Thollux?" Mituna yelled, jumping through a window which hadn't been boarded up.  
"Why would Sollux come through here?" Jade thought aloud.  
"This is his house. Mituna lives here with him." Latula answered. The three fell silent, staring at the house as Mituna ran around inside. After a few minutes he tumbled out the window, but managed to land on his feet.  
"There'th foot printh behind the houthe!" Mituna shouted as he ran around the house and started following the trail. The group followed Mituna for hours; eventually the sun went down, leavin the dark skies pitch black with only some bioluminescent foliage for light. They heard some music, slowing their approach. The music was coming from a small traveling circus. As they came closer both Jade and Mituna seemed to catch Sollux's trail again.  
"He's... Inside?" Jade wondered, confused by the situation. The group exchanged looks. They went up to the entrance.  
"Hello there children. Can I help you?" The strange woman asked. Her hair and coat seemed like a starry night sky. She glared at each of them. "You want to go in right? It's twenty-five copper each." The group exchanged glances. Jade pulled a silver piece from her bag, handing it to the woman before they walked into the makeshift tent.  
There were many oddities; old relics, strange dead creatures in jars, assorted odd items. Everyone looked around and kept an eye out for Sollux. Jade noticed a strange fushia crystal.'Jade! Can you hear me?' Jade froze. What did the voice want this time? 'Your friend is further on. Keep going.' "Thanks." Jade mumbled, glad to have some sort of help since the smells of preservatives blocked the smells. 'Go get him!' "Guys, come on!" Jade motioned to everyone to follow her. They continued on only to run into a tall man with pure white hair and piercing green eyes.  
"Why hello. I am here to lead guests through the remainder of the tent." There were five other people waiting with the man. "This seems like a good time to continue. The rest of this tent has living oddities I have spent time finding. Follow me." Someone mumbled something, grabbing the man's attention. "Did you ask of my name?" There were some nods, "I'm Scratch." There were many very odd creatures, each of which Scratch explained; A dark hound, a stiltsnap, chuckle dolls, a shadow-walker.  
"There is one more creature I have yet to show. It is extremely rare. Thought to have gone extinct during the great war against the Condense and her armies, this my be the last of it's kind. It was the only thing that kept the cherubs at bay- the nekomata." He pulled back the sheet. Sollux stood chained in the center of the cage only in his shirt and underwear. He had two tails, which he had pulled close to himself. A bandage covered his eyes and exposed his cat-like ears; his feet were paw-like. Scratch went on, but the group was stunned.  
Mituna launched himself at Scratch. "Let HIM GO!" Mituna growled. Mituna then disappeared.  
"What happened to him?!" Latula looked around the tent.  
"I teleported him out." Scratch stated. The other people decided to leave.  
"Look, Sollux is our friend. It's not right to catch him and force him into your weird traveling show! Please let him go." Jade stated, looking Scratch in the eyes.  
"He technically isn't a person. A species doesn't count as a 'people' unless they meet certain standards. One of which is having several members of said species. Good night." Scratch replied, teleporting them out before they could say anything, landing in the mud.  
"That's it! If we want him out of there, were going to have to bust him out!" Vriska huffed.  
"First, we have to get Scratch out of here!"  
'Teleport Scratch.' Jade looked around, confused for a moment. 'Focus on the green energy and teleport Scratch.' Jade ran back into the tent, running straight into Scratch.  
"I thought teleporting you out would be a hint." Scratch chuckled at his words as if it were a joke. Jade focused on the green energy, trying to get a grip on it. "You can access that power?!" Scratch's sudden enthusiasm snapped Jade from her focus. Scratch had gotten uncomfortably close. He grabbed her wrists. "Do you know what that means?!"  
Jade pulled back. She noticed Vriska sneak in, getting Sollux out while Scratch was distracted. Jade kept trying to pull out of Scratch's grip. "You are the key!" Jade wanked free.  
"Go away!" Jade yelled, backing away as she tried to focus on the green energy. "Don't you get it?" Scratch laughed "You are the key! The key I've been looking for!"  
"NO!" Jade teleported him away as quickly as she could, green sparks dancing around her. She looked around. Had she done it right? "Why do weird things keep happening to me?" Jade mumbled.  
Vriska ran in. "Come on, lets-" she noticed Jade," hey, what's wrong?"  
"I'll tell you later." Jade replied. "Lets get out of here." The two walked over to Mituna, Latula and an unconscious Sollux. "Lets see if I can get us home." Jade focused, then flash! The group teleported. They ended up fifty feet from the academy. Jade's eyesight grew blurry before she collapsed, exhausted.

"Jade? Jade wake up!" Sollux shouted, stirring Jade from her sleep. Jade looked around; they were both in the academy's infirmary.  
"Huh? Sollux, you're okay!" Jade tried sitting up, but she was sore and worn out. She opted to roll on her side to look at him. "Hey... Why did you hide yourself?"  
"I didn't hide, I was kidnapped." Sollux's ears flicked back.  
"I meant your appearance. You could have passed yourself off as a half breed."  
"No, I couldn't," He brushed some hair out of his eyes," glowing eyes, remember? Also, I'm stranger than a half breed my age should be and, you know, two tails." He grew quieter as he went on. They lay in silence for a moment before the door slammed open.  
"Thollux!" Mituna tackled Sollux, pulling him into a bear hug. Latula started laughing hysterically. "You're wake!"  
"Why wouldn't I be?" Sollux's words were muffled.  
"You two have been out for a couple days." Latula responded.  
The sounds of yelling sounded from outside. Eridan came in, but was slammed into the wall by Vriska "You guys are finally up!" Vriska smirked, before being pulled down by Eridan.  
Dualscar, hearing the commotion, came in and noticed Vriska and Eridan. "Will you two stop fighting?!" He separated them. "And you wonder why you had a stack of detentions. I'm disappointed in you. How do you two even call those punches!" Dualscar glared back and forth between the two. "So you two are awake." Dualscar looked at Sollux with a serious expression. "You're a nekomata?"  
Sollux looked at himself, quickly realizing he was wearing the same clothes from when he was kidnapped. He pulled a nearby blanket over himself.  
"I need you and Jade to stop by my office later." And with that, Dualscar left.


	14. Chapter 13

After some help from Porrim, Sollux and Jade felt much better. Of course Sollux wasn't up to the idea of anyone seeing him at first, but it was that or be stuck in the infirmary for much longer. Eventually he got his cloak back, making his way to Dualscar's office with Jade. "Why do you think he wanth to thee me?" Sollux mumbled, enveloped in his cloak.  
"I don't know. Maybe it has to do with being a nekomata?" Jade wondered.  
Sollux shot Jade a look. They continued in silence to Dualscar's office, being ushered inside quickly. A stack of text pertaining to the Great War sat next to Dualscar's desk, bookmarked at various pages of the many volumes. Dualscar looked between the two.  
"Why are you always involved, Jade?" Dualscar sighed. "I'm going to take a guess and say the voice helped you, correct?" Sollux looked confused, but Jade nodded. "I'm also going to guess it told you a place to send," he looks over the papers he is holding, pulling out a picture of Scratch," this gentleman?"  
"Yes." Jade stated.  
"Well... Where did you send him off to?" Dualscar questioned.  
"I was told focus on the green energy, but he started acting really weird, so I think I accidently sent him to the Lolral forest." Jade replied.  
"You were told to focus on the green energy?!" Dualscar asked in shock.  
"Yes." Jade mumbled. "Why? What would happen?"  
"It would kill him instantly. Of course, Doctor Scratch is wanted for several crimes punishable by death, including aiding the Condense in the Great War, so if you had killed him it would justified." Dualscar thought a moment. "So what do you mean by acting weird?"  
"He said I was a key, then he kept trying to corner me." Jade felt herself shiver at the memory.  
Dualscar's eyes grew wide. "He said your _the key_?" Jade nodded nervously. "Do you know what that means?" Dualscar spoke softly.  
Jade scooted back in her chair. "No." Her ears flicked back, tail curled around her.  
"You are the only way to find the weapon Condense's pendant. When one of our side's fighters, the nekomata," he motioned to Sollux as an example, " found the pendant, it turned the tides of the war. If the Condense's forces find it not only will she be revived, but she will have the advantage!"  
"If our thide got the pendant, then why do you need a key to find it?" Sollux asked.  
Dualscar sighed. " The Condense tried desperately to get it back, along with other weapons. So a powerful mage locked away the items. Anyone with spacial magic has an item. Special agility and strength are one, then their is enhanced healing," Dualscar mumbled a moment before continuing," then the staff, then the key. Miss Dolorosa had the staff, but she thought it was time to pass it on, so you got it. You know the other two space students, and it goes without saying who got what power. Of course the other aspects get amazing abilities to, so don't think you are to special."  
They sat in silence."So... How do you find the pendant?" Jade asked.  
"To tell you the truth, I don't know. Many of the people who did died not long ago without passing on the story of how to find it." Dualscar seemed to think a moment. "Although, Scratch probably knows how." Jade's eyes widened. "Anyway, I have almost completely forgotten about finding out you're a nekomata." He looked over to Sollux.  
"I would have preferred if you forgot." Sollux muttered.  
"Now I know what the cherubs meant. Either way, your mission is to hunt down Caliborn, the cherub with the red cheek and hand swirls. Mituna and Latula will be with you and Eridan. You start in a few days. Till then, practice and recover. Good day to you both." Both got up to leave. "Jade," Jade stopped to listen," You and Vriska are to stay on campus until I say so. Dismissed."  
Jade and Sollux left, both reeling from Dualscar's words. "Are you okay Sollux?" Jade asked, noticing his hood pulled tighter around him and more over his face.  
"He knowth about Mituna. How does he know about Mituna?!" Sollux asked.  
Jade looked confused. "What do you mean?" Sollux started running and Jade took off after him. "Sollux! You know neither of us are supposed to be running!"  
Sollux stopped in front of Mituna's and Latula's dorm. He knocked on the door. "Hey guys!" Latula let them both in,"Whats up?"  
"You told him didn't you?" Sollux asked Mituna. It was then that Jade realized what was going on. Mituna wasn't wearing his head band or shoes, revealing that he was a nekomata, too. "Why did you tell him? You were thafe!"  
"You were hurt really badly! You could have died! I couldn't vithit you unleth I wath a teammate or family. Tho I had to tell him thollucth." Mituna looked at the ground.  
"Oh."  
"Pluth, I heard about the mithion, and I couldn't let you go alone!" Mituna pulled Sollux into a hug despite Sollux's efforts.  
"Mituna! Thtop! Let go!" Sollux wiggled his way free of Mituna along with his cloak just for Latula to catch him.  
"There's no escaping the family hug!" Latula laughed. Mituna hugged them both. Jade stood there, lost in the situation.  
"Fine." Sollux aloud the hug. Latula and Mituna kissed over his head. "No! I thwear if you two treat me like I'm your kid again I will tear my eyeth from their thockth! You guyth aren't my parenth!"  
"You loved it as a kid."  
"I'm leaving!" Sollux managed to get free. He grabbed his cloak, then pulled Jade with him out the door. "You tell no one." He grumbled, pulling his cloak on.  
"I think that was kind of sweet." Jade said, getting a glare from Sollux," but I won't tell anyone."  
Sollux left for his dorm, and Jade for hers. Vriska was waiting for her.  
"Your back!" Vriska smirked," So... Anything important happen?"  
"We can't leave until Dualscar says so." Jade layed down on her bed, tired.  
A knock sounded from the door. Vriska opened the door,"Hello Feferi, Kanaya. What is it?"  
"It appears you are to go on a mission with us to find Scratch." Kanaya stated.  
Feferi's hand shot out, the mission file and note in hand," Dualscar's orders!" She smiled.


	15. Chapter 14

"What?!" Jade's eyes widened. Feferi looked into the room.  
"Whale... Come on!" Feferi motioned out the door, "We've got a mission to do!" Jade and Vriska exchanged glances before grabbing their things and following Feferi and Kanaya. "It's a long ways to Lolral Forest. Have you been there?" Feferi asked, smiling as they headed on their way.  
Vriska looked over at Jade. "Can't you teleport us there?" Feferi stopped and turned to face the two.  
"I heard you don't need the mat anymore! Is it true?" Feferi asked, interested.  
"I heard that, too. Are you able to teleport without extra assistance?" Kanaya asked.  
Jade nodded. "How about you give them an example?" Vriska prompted. Jade stood there a moment, then closed her eyes and concentrated. Sparks grew until _flash_! They were teleported to Lolral Forest. There were patches of ground and patches of very deep water under the cover of the large trees. Jade felt dizzy and tired, leaning against a tree. Feferi and Kanaya looked around.  
"Woah..." Feferi looked around.  
"I'm not seeing signs of Scratch around here." Kanaya started walking,"Come on. Look for signs someone's been through here." Everyone started walking, looking around. They eventually found footprints, but got nothing more after that.  
"Can we stop for a bit? We've been looking for hours. Maybe we need to think about this?" Jade offered, still alittle worn out from teleporting so many people so far.  
"Alright." Kanaya went through the mission papers again.  
"I wonder were he is." Feferi thought aloud, looking over Kanaya's shoulder. Jade leaned against a tree. Suddenly she heard a thump, turning to see Scratch grab her wrist.  
"Found you." Scratch said coldly. Jade's eyes went wide as she pulled away, taking several steps back. Kanaya dropped the papers, picking up her staff and trying to force Scratch against the tree, Feferi doing the same with her staff. Doc dodged around their attacks. He grabbed Feferi's staff and yanked it forward; when Feferi held on he swung her into the tree before shoving her into the water. She sunk, soon disappearing into the dark waters. Kanaya managed to pull her scythe from the tree, swinging at Scratch as he swung Feferi's staff at her. Vriska came in from the other side, striking at Scratch. Vriska landed a hit, the new gash on Scratches face already starting to drip blood. She was rewarded with a hit square to the chest, knocking her breath away.  
Jade was searching through her bag, trying to find the cuffs for the mission. She needed to hurry. This guy was defiantly more experienced, and pulling out the staff would make her any even bigger target, especially since she didn't have enough energy to use it anyway. A look over her shoulder reveled the fight wouldn't last much longer. Ah ha! Jade pulled out the cuffs.  
"To late." Scratch stated, kicking Jade over. The cuffs tumbled from Jade's grip into the water. "What a shame. You came right to me." Jade's eyes went wide as he stepped closer.  
"Go away!" Jade struck out, pulling away.  
"Come along quietly. It's not like you can win."  
At that moment, a hand reached from the water,pulling Scratches leg out from under him. He was yanked into the water, a hand snapping cuffs onto his wrists before heaving him back on shore. Kanaya and Vriska came over, dragging Scratch away a bit before adding more restraints. Jade watched as Feferi pulled herself out of the water, her legs replaced by a fishes tail. Feferi's tail turned back into legs.  
"You're a mermaid?" Jade asked,"and you didn't mention it at all?"  
"Whale, yeah."  
"I thought you drowned! Don't scare people like that."  
Feferi laughed. Kanaya and Vriska had Scratch heavily restrained. "Do you think you have enough energy to take us home?"  
"I'll try." Jade said. Green sparks formed until _Flash_! They could see the school in sight. Jade collapsed, completely exhausted.

"Hello? Are you awake?" Porrim asked, shaking Jade lightly. Jade woke up, feeling horribly dizzy and tired. "At this rate I should just follow you. You shouldn't push yourself to hard."  
"How long have I been out?" Jade asked.  
"A day and a half."  
"How long had everyone been gone?"  
"You guys left around noon and showed up right before dawn. They said you had already been out a few hours." Porrim sighed, "How do you feel?"  
"I'm a little dizzy and tired." Jade stated.  
"I bet." Porrim started going through her things,"here you go. This should help you get your strength back." She held a bottle out to Jade. "You have worn yourself out a lot lately. At this rate you'll be asleep more than you'll ever be able to stay awake."  
Jade sat up even though her muscles protested any movement, then drank the bottle. She felt a lot better almost instantly. "Thank you, Porrim." She then noticed she was in the school's infirmary.  
"Take it easy for at least five hours. No missions, no teleporting, no magic. Try to actually relax." Porrim stated before gathering her things and leaving.


	16. Chapter 15

Jade made her way back to her dorm and fell asleep on her bed, drifting into her repetitive dream...

A voice, calm and inviting, whispered something into the cool air. Jade pulled lightly on the gray nightgown, looking around the dark cavern. She could see the soft flickers of light like they were passing through waves further down the stone pier. She walked slowly to the pier's edge looking up a little to the source of the voice; a woman in a white bodice and overskirt which showed the pink underskirt. Her long brown hair and dress seemed to float as if she was under water. Jade noticed her own hair and gown acting like it was under water.  
"Help... Me..." The woman's voice said, silky and calm as a child's lullaby.  
"Who are you?" Jade asked, voice echoing across the cavern.  
"Help...me..." The woman's voice grew softer as she faded away.  
"Wait! Don't go! I don't know how to help you!" Jade called out, reaching desperately for the woman's outstretched hands.  
"Find...me..." The woman smiled as she fade to nothing.

Jade woke with a start, out of breath. She had only had that dream for months, and still she hadn't found the woman from her dream. "Hello Jade." Jade turned to see Dualscar in her dorm, standing by the door.  
"You were watching me sleep?" Jade gave him a questioning glance.  
"Porrim told me you needed at least five hours to relax, so I let you sleep. It's been over five hours now, so I need you to come with me." Dualscar stated coldly.  
Jade looked around the room. "Where's Vriska?"  
"Your teammate is on a mission with Callieope." Dualscar replied. "I need you to come with me."  
Something didn't feel right, but she got up, still in her nightgown. "Can I get dressed first?" Jade asked. Dualscar nodded, leaving the room and closing the dorm door behind him. Jade got dressed, contemplating for a moment if she should leave. Teleporting took to much energy to just use if it wasn't necessary, and what if she was over reacting? She opened her dorm door to see Dualscar standing across the hallway. He motioned for her to follow him before starting down the hallway. "So, what's going on?" Jade asked nervously.  
"We got the information from Scratch on how to find the pendant. Porrim said to leave you alone for at least five hours before trying anything, but you have worn yourself ragged these past few weeks, so I decided to let you sleep till you woke up." Dualscar ushered Jade down a staircase, following close behind. Jade noticed that it was mid day, so she didn't see students because they would all be doing missions right now. She was ushered down another staircase, then a few corridors and into a room. Dualscar closed the door behind them.  
Jade looked around, spotting Handmaid, her magic teacher. "Hello." She said happily before looking around the room. A huge pattern was drawn out on the floor, looking up revealed another pattern on the ceiling.  
Handmaid frowned, then turned to Dualscar. "Are you sure we have to do this? She's just a child!" Jade looked between the teachers, wide eyed.  
"We need to find the pendant. We are already taking major hits from Condense forces and she isn't even awake! If we found the pendant we could end this war. Permanently."  
"But at what cost? You could hurt her, kill her even! You realize if she isn't strong enough she will be seriously injured?!"  
"I am willing to take that risk."  
"Why? Because you're absolutely, without a doubt certain in her abilities or because you value winning over a child's life?"  
"She will be fine!" Dualscar growled in anger. Dualscar spun around, picking Jade up.  
"No! Let me go!" Jade thrashed around, sparks flying as she attempted to teleport away. She was being held just under the arms, preventing her from hitting Dualscar. Bringing her leg up high, she swung her foot down as hard as she could, which wasn't much use since it was her bare paws and not her boots. She had been so worried earlier she had forgotten her shoes!  
"Calm down." Dualscar said in annoyed tone. "I know you'll be alright."  
"Put me down!" Jade replied. Her voice dropped to a feral growl, stopping Dualscar in his tracks. Snarls were thrown in as Jade's ears pinned back, tail pulled close. Both teachers froze, the room filled with the sounds of growls, snarls and sparking.  
"Jade?" Dualscar asked cautiously eyeing Jade.  
"Let. Me. Go." Jade growled.  
"Why don't you tell us what's wrong?" Dualscar stated calmly.  
"You guys are talking about this like I'm not even here!"  
"I apologize. Anything else?"  
"Let go of me."  
"Calm down first first."  
Jade took a deep breath. "I'm fine with helping you find the pendant, but put me down."  
Dualscar put Jade down. "Are you sure? There is a huge risk." Handmaid asked.  
"I'm sure." She looked around. "So, I'm guessing I have to stand in the middle of the circle?"  
The teachers both nodded. Jade slowly stepped into the circle, nervously looking around the patterns drawn across the floor and ceiling. Handmaid started whispering something the patterns lighting up. As the patterns grew brighter, Jade's skin started to itch. The words grew louder and louder and the light almost blinding. Blood started to drip from Jade's mouth as the world grew fuzzy. The symbols flashed a brilliant array of colors, flooding the room and blinding everyone for a moment. As the light faded away, Jade fell to her knees.  
"Jade!" Both teachers rushed over, helping her back up. A strange pendent hung from her neck.  
"Did it work?" Jade asked.

"What did I tell you? Once again you passed out because you over-exert yourself by doing to much to quickly. Your more stubborn than Kankri!" Porrim huffed, healing Jade once again.  
"At least it was only an hour." Jade replied.  
Porrim sighed. "Fine. But try not to pass out, alright? It's not healthy to push yourself this hard."  
"Alright. Thanks Porrim." Jade went to her dorm, falling into sleep.


	17. Chapter 16

"So, let me get this straight: You got this weird pendant that is supposed to defeat the Condence, but no clue where the Condence is?" Vriska asked. "And now we have to go on a mission to the prophet's lands?"  
"Yes, that's what's going on." Jade rechecked her bag, grabbing her staff.  
"This is stupid!" Vriska stood up. "Lets go!"  
The two headed out. The walk to the prophet's lands was very long, but scenic, so they agreed to walk (or rather Jade was supposed to limit the use of teleporting for at least a day). Tree branches hung over head as birds flittered by. Large fields, meadows and patches of forest edged the path.  
"We should walk more often. It's nice." Jade looked around as they walked.  
Vriska looked around too, but not as often. They had been walking a while and was starting to get boring. She noticed a weird stone on the side of the road. She picked it up, looking over it, twirling it in her hand. It flashed cerulean blue.  
"Vriska."  
"Yeah?"  
"Why are you wearing a dress?"  
Vriska looked down to see she now had a different outfit. It was a dress with a black bodice and long skirt with cerulean markings and underskirt, covered in ribbon. Feeling her head, there was some ribbon on her head to. She pulled up her skirt to see proper formal shoes. "Are you kidding me?!" Jade stared in confusion. "What the hell?!"  
"Can you make your clothes change back?"  
"I'm trying!"  
"I think we should head back."  
"I swear if I end up on Damara's table again-"

"Sorry, I no know." Damara tossed the rock back to Vriska.  
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Vriska asked, exasperated.  
"It not my type magic." Damara apologized. Jade left to check the library, hoping to find an answer or even a lead.  
"You know more magic than almost anyone I know!"  
"This old, very old!" Damara thought a moment. "How about ask Kurloz?"  
"Do you know where his dorm is?" Vriska huffed. Damara pointed to a dorm. "Thanks." Vriska walked over, before knocking on the door.  
"Why are you wearing that?" Vriska turned to see Meulin. "It looks nice though."  
"Do you know where Kurloz is?"  
"I'm trying to find him," Meulin's ears dropped," but it rained today, and it's still sprinkling, so he isn't in the trees in the courtyard."  
"So... Any ideas were he might be?"  
"No clue. I wish I knew where he went."

Jade went through the large stack of books she found about diffrent stones and older forms of magic, reading through them for anything similar to the stone Vriska found. She found several useful spells and skills that would definitely be useful later, but nothing related to the stone. The most distracting thing was the thick smell of cats and constant muffled meowing; it was as if cats were I'm the library!  
"Meow!" Jade sighed, finally looking around. Several more meows were heard, pulling Jade's gaze upward. The tops of the bookshelves were lined with cats, and amongst the cats was Kurloz.  
"Have you been here the whole time?" Jade asked. Kurloz nodded, stroking the cats around him. It took a lot of willpower to not growl at the large group of cats. 'Go ahead and chase the cats.' The voice prompted. "Not you too! I'm not chasing the cats! No no no no..."  
A cat jumped an her head. "N- bARK!" Jade burst into a storm of growls and barks, chasing the cats out of the library. The doors flung open, Kurloz being swept out with the clowder, sprawled atop them. The cats ran for a while chased all the way around the school.  
"Kurloz?" Meulin watched the cats sweep him past.  
"Jade?" Vriska watched Jade chase the cats further away. Meulin and Vriska gave each other side glances before chasing after them. The chase loops around the school several times before Jade calms down and stops. "You finally stopped!" Vriska called out as she and Meulin catch up.  
"You feeling okay?" Meulin asks Kurloz. He nods. Meulin picks him up. "Hey, Vriska needs your help." Kurloz signed something. "Back to the dorm!" Meulin carried Kurloz back.  
They went inside. "Do you think you can help change my clothes back? I'm sure this stupid stone had something to do with it." Vriska asked, tossing the stone over to Kurloz. He looked it over before signing something.  
"It's a transformation stone. You get special abilities when you use it. To turn back, twirl it clockwise once, then hold it up." Meulin said. Kurloz nodded, tossing the stone back to Vriska. Vriska did the motions, her clothes changed back to normal.  
"That was stupid." Vriska huffed.  
"You could seduce people, then kill then!" Meulin said enthusiastically.  
"This might be useful." Vriska noted aloud. Jade and Vriska left, and since the dusk was falling, they decided to head out tomorrow.


	18. Chapter 17

Jade and Vriska left for their mission, this time teleporting to the prophet's lands. The lands were made of glowing pink crystals, with patches of soil filled with flowers that remain in bloom constantly and mist coiled its way through. The sky was a wide array of colors and stars visible through night, although the occasional cloud passed by overhead. "This place is amazing!" Jade exclaimed as they walked around.  
"Why is it called the prophet's lands?" Vriska asked.  
"Regular people can sometimes have visions out here if they want to know the future or where someone lost is badly enough. Prophets can see just about anything out here clear as day." Jade answered. 'Jade.' The voice said. Suddenly Jade lost grip on consciousness.

Images flashed by. A path by the crystals, a route under ground. The pier became clear in her mind as she stood there, seeing the woman differently. She was trapped inside some of the crystal deep below the lands, unable to leave. Jade reached out, only to feel her self start to wake again. "I will find her." Jade thought.

Jade slowly woke up. She looked around herself to realize she wasn't at the prophet's lands, she was in a large metal cage. 'Seems familiar, doesn't it?' The voice noted. Jade looked around. At that moment, Shale and someone else walked in.  
"Wha'd I tell you, Marble? This is definitely the girl that bust me!" Shale said to Marble. Marble peered at Jade before turning back to Shale.  
"This girl was all the trouble? Good thing I gave you the cuffs. You owe me Shale." Marble muttered.  
"Thanks Marble." Shale said as Marble left. He turned his attention to Jade. "You go off alone to the prophets lands at dusk? What were you doing?" Jade glared at him then noticed what Marble meant, looking at the cuffs on her wrists. "Gave you blocking cuffs." Shale said.  
"Why?" Jade mumbled, pulling at them.  
"Hm? Well, I remembered you used weird magic, and since no one listens to me I had to get cuffs."  
"What do you mean?"  
"You aren't going to believe this, but I've seen Condense armies out and about. Of course no one believes I've seen them go after those who aren't human. So, I set up traps to stop them with my friend, but we ended up getting normal villagers. You can't let people you accidentally catch walk because they spread news around. You though, keep showing up where they do. How are you connected?"  
Jade stared. "I go to the hero academy. Everyone there knows the Condense armies are up, so we're trying to fight them. Can I go now?" She pulled at the cuffs.  
Shale looked really confused. "You... Are a hero in training?"  
"I'm a hero in training." Jade replied.  
"Then how did you get caught twice?"  
Jade thought this over very thoroughly. "How about I don't tell and you don't tell anyone about this and we go separate ways?"  
"Deal!" Shale unlocked the cuffs before running off, bolting out the door. Jade sighed, teleporting out of the cage before walking out the door. A town could be seen not far in the distance. Maybe a walk wouldn't be to bad.

Vriska looked through the darkened streets, searching frantically. She had tried to get help for Jade when she collapsed, but when she came back Jade was gone. She had searched for a few hours now, but turned up nothing. She stopped, noticing a figure walking into town. Vriska approached slowly. It was Jade. "You sure know how to teleport." Vriska called, rushing over. "Where were you? I couldn't find you!"  
Jade thought a moment. "I was trying to find you."  
"Alright, it was a terrible idea to leave. You know where we're going, right?" Vriska asked.  
"Yup. Lets go!" Jade lead the way, heading to the place from her vision.


	19. Chapter 18

Jade weaved her way through the crystal paths, their faint light penetrating trough the thin fog. Finding the right spot, Jade and Vriska forced a large crystal from its place, revealing a hidden cavern. "I can't believe we're finding the Condense!" Vriska laughed.  
"Actually, it's the woman whose voice I've been hearing. I couldn't concentrate on the Condense because this woman kept coming to mind. But we'll find the Condense after this."  
"What? But since we're almost done might as well save her anyway."  
Jade hopped down into the cavern. "Let's go!" Vriska followed after her. The caverns were quite large, taking many twists and turns. Crystals were occasionally burrowed into the walls, their soft glow the only light source in the caverns. The two made their way down the path, finding the large stone pier. As they stepped down the pier, their hair and clothes drifting slightly as if they stood underwater.  
"Woah." Vriska mumbled, looking around.  
Jade kept walking forward till she stood on the pier's edge. 'Come closer.' Jade looked over to the large crystal far from the pier's reach. "I can't. The pier ends here." Jade whispered. 'Dont worry, I'll catch you.' Jade tilted her head."How?" 'Trust me.' Jade looked down before starting to lean over the ledge, trying to see if there was a way down.  
"Jade?!" Vriska started walking over. At that moment a gust of wind pulled Jade over the edge. "Jade!?" Vriska bolted for the edge, trying to grab Jade.  
Jade fell, wind blowing past. The dark kept her from seeing. 'Hold on' Jade saw the pendent glow, allowing her to see. Her fall slowed, then stopped altogether, leaving her floating in front of the crystal. She looked up, noticing the stars could be seen even from all the way down here. It was stunning. Jade put the staff in her bag before looking over the crystal's surface.  
'Touch the surface.' Jade reached out, slowly placing her hands on the surface. 'Focus on setting me free.' Jade imagined it, her hands slowly pulled into the crystal, grabbing the woman's hand. The pendant flash bright light and the crystal shattered. With that, Jade lost consciousness.

Vriska saw a flash of light, pulling back and covering her eyes as crystal shards were tossed high into the air. The light hurt her eyes.  
When she opened her eyes to see a tall woman with flowing brown fair and a large pink and white dress holding Jade in her arms. Vriska was steps from the woman. That's when she noticed her eyes. Vriska hopped stood up, twirling her stone in her hand. "Drop her right now!" Vriska held her sword, prepared to attack at a moments notice.  
The woman stared on, indifferent. "Why? I've spent time talking, helping, even guiding her. Besides, I still need her help. Goodbye." The woman flicked her wrist tossing Vriska back before disappearing down the passageway.  
Vriska raced after her, chasing her down the passages of the cavern. "Let her go!" Vriska shouted. "Get back here!"  
The woman took. Vriska couldn't find the woman, so she bolted for the exit, hoping she would stop her at the entrance. When she got out, she noticed Sollux standing there. "Did a women leave?"  
"The left with the thtupid red cherub, why?"  
"Because she has Jade."  
"What happend?" Latula asked, running up with Mituna and Eridan. They all looked exhausted and bandaged up, especially Sollux who had his arm covered in bandages. Everyone had at least one visible looked around the group before letting out a loud sigh.  
"Are you alright?" Latula asked. Vriska shook her head no. "Are you hurt?" Vriska shook her head no again. "So, why are you upset?"  
"Jade was taken by the Condence."


	20. Chapter 19

Jade slowly opened her eyes, still dizzy from earlier. She sat up, holding her head. The pendant around her neck was glowing, and even though she tried a moment to get it to stop, Jade couldn't make the pendant stop glowing. She was in a room that looked a lot like her bedroom, but she knew it wasn't. She hoped off the bed and focused on the academy to teleport away. She remained in the room.  
"Huh?" She said confused, looking around. She checked her arms and legs for any cuffs. Her hands flew up to her neck, feeling a choker around her neck. She looked around for a mirror, but spotted her bag instead. She pulled out her hand mirror. The choker was black with a multicolor stone that looked almost like the night sky above the prophet's lands. She traced on the mirror's surface, but it refused to let her contact anyone.  
Jade put her mirror back before grabbing her bag. She tried opening the door, but it wouldn't work. She noticed a window, walking over to see if there was a way down. The window was far from the ground, way to far to jump and to slick to climb down. Sighing, she went through her bags contents until she found rope. Once firmly tied and secure, Jade tossed the other end out the window, but it still didn't get close enough to the ground. She tested the strength of the sheets, then pulled up the rope before tying the sheets together and to the ends of the rope, along with a blanket she pulled from her bag, before tossing the rope back out the window. There would still be a fall, but the chance of injury was much lower.  
The descent down towards the ground was long, but once she got to the bottom of the line, she dropped down. Whoever put her in the tower definitely didn't want her escaping. Pulling her cloak up she started off into the woods. She couldn't use magic until she got the choker off, so her only defense was what Vriska briefly taught her about sword fighting. Thank goodness she always carried one of Vriska's swords, although it was just so Vriska wouldn't have to carry it.  
It was approaching midday when Jade stumbled upon a town. It was a small village that had a few farms nearby. She walked into the town, hoping to find any hint as to where she was. The citizens ran about. Jade walked up to someone sweeping infront of a shop.  
"Excuse me, what village is?" Jade asked.  
"Zeplir, miss." The boy replied looking up from his sweeping. "Why?" Jade pulled a map from her bag, looking for the village's location. "Woah!" The boy said in shock. "That's a strange bag, miss."  
"It's a rendering bag. It stores anything I put in it." Jade explained, finding the village on the map near the edge. "Several weeks walk." Jade sighed after checking the map. She started walking down the street, rolling up her map.  
"Where are you going?" The boy called after her.  
"I'm head back to my school." Jade replied.  
"The woods are dangerous!"  
"I know."  
"There are demons out there!"  
"I fought five on my way into town."  
"Really?"  
"Yes."  
"Who are you?"  
Jade walked back to the boy. "My name is Jade Harley." The boy's eyes widened. "Don't say a word!"  
"But your the princess!" The boy whispered.  
Jade sighed. "I can protect myself. I've got a sword and a dagger and a few tricks up my sleeves. I'll be fine."  
"Aren't you supposed to be at the academy?"  
"I'm headed there right now." Jade took off down the road waving goodbye as she left. She continued down the road, continuing on to Philstyr. The walk went on till dusk, getting into town with almost no light except her pendent. The day hadn't been very bright either since clouds had covered most of the sky since she left Zeplir, but that was how Derse was. The town was more populous, and would definitely be more active when day broke. Jade walked through town, then continued on to a farmhouse on the outskirts, knocking on the door.  
"Who is it? It's quite late." Darkleer opened the door, the glow of a fire behind him.  
"You're Darkleer, right? You make the special cuffs that most people use right?" Jade asked, hoping she had the right house.  
"Yes. And who are you?"  
Jade answered. "My name is Jade Harley. I need your help."  
"Your Jade?" Darkleer was stunned. Jade nodded. "How do you know about me?"  
"Horuss talks about you sometimes."  
"How's he doing?"  
"He's doing well, and has developed new explosives."  
"That's good to hear. What do you need help with?"  
"I have something similar to the special cuffs, but instead it's a choker. I can't seem to get it off."  
"Come in. I'll see what I can do." Darkleer let Jade in before closing the door. Jade took off her cloak, stashing it in her bag. Darkleer looked at the choker before grabbing some of his tools. "That is quite an odd choker." Darkleer commented, already working on the choker. After several minutes, the metal in the choker was finally broken and the choker taken off.  
"Thank you!" Jade stepped back from the choker, glad it was gone.  
"If you're headed back to the academy, can you take some things with you for my son?" Jade nodded. Darkleer went into the other room a moment, then returned with a small box.  
"I'll make sure Horuss gets it. Thank you again!"  
"Goodbye."  
Jade teleported off to the school. She felt really dizzy, but continued walking to Horuss' dorm, knocking on the door. Horuss answered, shocked. "Jade?!" Jade handed him the box.  
"Your dad sent this." Jade tried to take a step back, but the dizziness made it hard to walk. She felt the world spin around her as she fell unconscious.


	21. Chapter 20

"Jade? Your awake!" Calliope hugged Jade. Jade noticed she was back in her dorm. "Are you alright?"  
"I'm fine. What's going on?" Jade looked around, but didn't see Vriska.  
"Vriska went looking for you when you disappeared." Callie sighed. "But when you came back she was contacted and is now coming back. She should be back by tomorrow!"  
"I don't even remember much after falling off the pier." Jade mumbled.  
"What pier?" Callie asked.  
Jade thought back to the mission. "I was trying to find the Condense's location, but I ended up finding the woman who's voice I've been hearing. When we got there it was an underground cavern that had a stone pier leading up to a huge crystal in the middle. I broke it, but then my memory goes fuzzy." Calliope's eyes went wide. "What's wrong Calliope?"  
"You found her."  
"Yeah, I found the woman who's voice I heard."  
"You set her free?" Callie held her head in her hands.  
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Dualscar opened the door. "Why don't you ever knock?" Jade sighed.  
"I'm just here because someone miraculously reappeared after getting kidnapped by the Condense! Any idea who it was?" Dualscar huffed in anger.  
"The Condense is awake?!" Jade exclaimed in shock.  
"How did you not know that? She kidnapped you and you're asking me if she's awake!" Dualscar snapped.  
"I remember my memory going black on the mission then waking up in the middle of nowhere. Unable to teleport. On the outskirts of Derse!"  
"You could have taken her out!"  
"I didn't know it was her!"  
Dualscar groaned. "Great!" He stomped out of the room, grumbling under his breath as he left.  
Jade and Calliope sat in silence. The day slipped into night and before anyone knew it it was day again. The dorm door flung open as Vriska came in.  
"You found your way back! And I thought the Condense take you to far to find." Vriska flopped on her bed.  
"Are you okay?" Jade asked.  
"Yes. Are you okay? You were kidnapped by Condense."  
"I'm fine."  
"What happened after you fell?"  
"When I fell the wind slowed me down? I stopped infront of the huge crystal and I broke it. My memory is black after that. Next thing I knew I was in a tower and I couldn't teleport, so I escaped, but I need to get a new rope and blanket."  
"Lets get supplies, then get back out there. Since you were kidnapped, madness has spread; its chaos out there!"  
"Really?"  
"No, everyone is holding hands and having tea parties- yes really! We need to stop the Condense as soon as possible!"  
The three set off to see Dolorosa. "Miss Dolorosa, do you have information on the Condense?" Jade asked.  
"Currently, no. Apparently there is someone going place to place by the name of Uranium who seems to go to places according to the route of the spikes in attacks, only to disappear again. From whats known, he should be headed to Faferel." Dolorosa handed them a the notes.  
"Thanks!" Jade headed out with Vriska and Calliope in tow.  
Faferel was only a few miles from the academy and was were the students bought most of their supplies. The group took a shortcut through thick, wild forest, greatly cutting the travel time. They entered, quickly buying supplies before sticking to the shadows as they waited for Uranium.  
Uranium was a mysterious character, constantly checking his surroundings as he went about. He headed into the woods and the three followed closely. Jade stepped forward to her a snap. A net flew up around her, pulling her up into the air in a mass of ropes. "Not this again!" Jade muttered, then turned her gaze to Vriska and Calliope. "Keep following Uranium! I'll get out of this and catch up!" Vriska nodded to Jade before dragging Calliope with her, sword drawn and at the ready as they went on.  
Jade watched then take off, then she focused on teleporting out. Sparks flew, but nothing happened. "It keeps happening!" Jade growled, exasperated by the situation. Her ears flicked towards a sound in the brush. "Who's there?" She sighed, although she knew it was probably the person who set the net up in the first place.  
"You're in a net again." Shale called from his spot. Jade groaned. "You have the worst luck."  
"I'm trying to find someone."  
"Is it me?"  
"No, I'm looking for someone named Uranium. I'm trying get information on the Condense."  
"Well, you aren't going to find him in a net." Shale replied before stepping over to something. The net dropped to the ground, Shale looked over.  
Jade got up. "Thanks."  
"Any time. But... Uranium is very protective of information, so he won't tell you anything even if you ask the guy."  
"What?"  
Vriska and Calliope ran over. "You again?!" Vriska shouted, sword raised.  
"I heard you need Uranium's information?" Shale smirked.  
Vriska lowered her sword. "Do you have it?"  
"Yes I do."


	22. Chapter 21

"What?!" Vriska dropped the sword. "Come on, tell us."  
Shale thought a moment, hand under his chin as he looked to the side. "On one condition."  
"Spit it out!" Vriska exclaimed.  
"What is it?" Jade asked.  
Shale looked back at the group with a smirk. "A kiss from the lovely maiden." Shale's gaze locked on Jade.  
Jade fell silent. Vriska expression changed to one of annoyance," Well Jade, what's the plan?"  
"We unfortunately lost sight of Uranium. Perhaps we could still find him? He does move around in a pattern." Calliope suggest, trying to list another option.  
"The Condense causes more and more damage as time passes. We need the information as soon as possible." Jade turned slowly towards Shale. "Is the information on the Condense?"  
"Yes. So, do we have a deal?"  
Jade sighed. "Yes." Shale pulled Jade into a deep kiss that lasted a moment before pulling back.  
"How much do you want to know?" Shale smiled.  
"As much information as you know."  
"From what I know, the Condense is headed to Trelterate point, which is far out past Zeplir. Apparently she's hidding something between those two points, a weapon maybe? Anyway, these attacks are to gain ground while looking for whatever was hidden along with her pendant." Shale searched threw his small pack until he found a crumpled faded map. "So we are here-" Shale picks up a stone and places it on the map where they are,"- and a fees weeks walk from here is the Condense." He places stones a bit past Zeplir. "Even if you want to face the Condense now while she gathers up forces, you would need to somehow teleport there before five days time. I know a guy who can teleport, but only himself, and you would need at least three more highly skilled people and yourselves with the teleporting plan to force her back into sleep."  
"What if we could teleport and somehow got a hold of the Skaian frog totem staff?" Jade asked in a serious tone.  
"In that case, you might be able to beat her for good if you had at least seven skilled fighters to back you."  
"Now, lets say we're really luck and can teleport, have the Skaian frog totem staff and, by pure luck, the Condense's pendent, what could we do?"  
Shale blinked several times. "You could use the pendant to strengthen the staff's attacks, but you would still need at least two more skilled fighters so you could focus on taking her out permanently... but finding the pendant is nearly impossible!"  
"Teltrate point, right?"  
"Trelterate point."  
"Thanks for the information. Come on guys!" Jade had turned back to Vriska and Calliope, ready to head back to the academy.  
"Wait. There's one more thing."  
Jade looked over, curious. "What?"  
"Watch out for a anyone wearing a simple white mask with war-like markings. It's a sign of the Condense forces."  
"Thanks Shale." Jade turned back the way she was walking. "Lets go!" Sparks flew as Jade teleported the three back to the academy. "We need at least one other team to go with us. Lets spread out and find any teams here who will join."  
"You know, you could just ask us." John called out as he and Karkat ran down the hall towards the group. "And we could ask Dave and Aradia! You would have to hurry tho, since they're headed to the missions office right now."  
The two teams ran to the mission office, catching up to Dave and Aradia as they were opening the door. "Wait! We need as much help as we can get!" Jade stumbled into Dave as she tried to stop, knocking Aradia over too in the process.  
"This sounds exciting! What is it?" Aradia asked.  
"We found out we could permanently beat the Condense, but we need back up. She'll be harder to beat the longer we wait."  
"We better get going then." Dave replied, standing up. "I'll grab more swords."  
Jade smiled. "Everyone grab what you need and meet up in the courtyard in twenty minutes, lets go!"


	23. Chapter 22

The group stared up the towering peak, ominously looming over them as they prepared to enter to battle the Condense. "Is everyone ready?" Jade asked the group, staff in hand. Everyone drew their weapons as they nodded back. "Lets go." Everyone headed into the cavern, making the cautious climb to the top. As they neared the top, they saw a figure standing at the ledge, staring back at them with bright fuchsia eyes.  
"Came to end me? I'm the queen! I didn't get her by being weak." The Condense snapped, deadly gaze sweeping over them. "Do you really think I'm going to be stopped by some incompetent children?"  
Jade focused on gathering energy to strike down the Condense. Quickly the sharp glare fell on Jade as a trident was raised. John streaked by, swinging his hammer at the trident, only for it to get caught in the prongs. He held tight as the Condense tried shaking him off. The others charged forward, weapons raised as Calliope tried to slow the Condense down any way possible.

Sollux hit the cavern wall with a thud, sliding down to the ground and toppling forward. They had worn Caliborn down to his last life, but were caught off guard by when he dropped his human form. The scaly green head looked his direction as Caliborn charged forward, taloned hands raised. Sollux threw forward a wave of red and blue sparks, temporarily dazing them both. Mituna landed a kick into Caliborn's neck, driving him back with his multiple hits until both were out of Sollux's sight. A loud snap rang, quickly followed by a shower of red and blue sparks sent flying. A sickening crunch sounded before Mituna came flying back into view, tumbling and sliding across the floor.  
"Mituna!" Sollux yelped, struggling to his feet as blood ran from the gashes all over himself. His eyes widened when he saw the blood smeared across the floor leading up to Mituna's crumpled body, red pooling around him.  
"There you are!" Caliborn charged forward as Sollux leaped out of the way, tumbling forward on his weakened legs. He looked back to notice the dripping gash that now covered Caliborn's face, his eyes torn up and nose ripped apart. Sollux quietly grabbed a stone near him, then threw it at a pillar. The impact echoed. "Get back here!" Caliborn charged towards the pillar, smashing into it and sending several stones raining down on himself.  
Sollux ran forward, gaining speed as he launched himself at Caliborn's neck before digging his nails into the skin. He yanked back forcefully on Caliborn's head, a snap sounding threw the caverns as Caliborn collapsed to the ground, last swirl fading from his palm.

Calliope had managed to trap the Condense knee deep in the ground, but had taken a heavy toll to her self. Everyone holding back the Condense had several cuts and scraps, but Calliope's wrist was snapped, a gash running up the same arm. A warm feeling filled her chest, spreading over her. Calliope took several steps back, confused and shocked. Light flooded around her a brief moment, then dissipated into the air. Calliope was left with a much different appearance; her original tunic was replaced with a long dress with split sides. She looked like an adult, her swirls now filled in completely, short bobbed hair long and three pairs of glowing white wings.  
"I'm... I'm an adult." Calliope whispered in suprise. She raised her head to see Karkat go flying back, hitting the ground hard.  
"Karkat!" John rushed over, checking over his hurt friend.  
"Just a moment longer!" Jade called as she held on to her staff with an iron grip, struggling with the massive energy. Calliope pulled everyone back, blocking the Condense's attacks as well as she could before forcing her firmly into her spot. Everyone got far out of the way as Jade swung forward her staff, green light filling all they could see.


	24. Chapter 23

The light faded away, letting both Jade and the Condense drop to the ground. "Jade!?" Vriska ran over. Looking over, it was quite obvious that there was no return for the Condense. The group checked over each other before heading back.

"Mituna, pleathe, pleathe be okay!" Sollux sat infront of Mituna, desperate for some sign, any sign he was alright. "Mituna..."  
Latula and Eridan ran over, checking over their teammate. Latula instantly started patching up Mituna, tending to the largest injuries first. "Come on, Mituna. Say something!" Latula begged. "Anything at all."  
"Okay." Mituna coughed, voice quiet.  
"He'th okay." Sollux fell over, exhausted.  
"Oh no you don't, Sol!" Eridan pulled Sollux into a hug.  
"Stop. It hurts." Sollux yelped. Eridan loosened his grip on Sollux, slowly letting him lay on his side before checking over his injuries and bandaging them up as well as he can.

...  
Later

Many students stood in a line, exchanging excited glances. It was a formal occasion, everyone dressed in full attire. Headmaster Signless stepped forward.  
"Dear students, today will be your last day at this academy. You have proven that you can stand strong against the worst of dangers, face the greatest of threats courageously, and have learned well. Today I am proud to list the graduates who are, by all standards heros." Signless took steps, stopping infront of each student to announce their names.  
"Sollux Captor. Eridan Ampora. Mituna Captor. Latula Pyrope. Aradia Megido. Dave Strider. John Egbert. Karkat Vantas. Vriska Serket. And finally Jade Harley. I congratulate all on you on your graduation from this academy." A round of cheers went up all around.

~~~  
A.N.

Thank you for reading this, I really appreciate it. Feel free to leave me a review; I really want to know what you thought of the story. This is my first fanfiction, so thanks for baring with me here.  
Thank


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